Movie Dog Barks Again
Movie rental dog this time around. I recently rented "Batman Begins" and "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy." Not much to say about the latter. Mos Def as Ford Prefect does a very good job in an undemanding role. Zooey Deschanel as Trillian is just startlingly cute. I did some snooping around and I can't imagine who thought to cast her in the role. She is unexceptional in all the other images I managed to track down. But she adorable as Trillian. I hope she gets more work. Is there anyone in creation who isn't aware of what goes on in "Hitchhiker's?" So there's no need to go into the action. I will say this though, the scenes of planetary creation on the "factory floor" of Magrathea are incredibly gorgeous. All in all, worth renting if you haven't seen it in the teatro.
The Batman movie, on the other hand, is a must-rent. Even if you have seen it on the big screen. I'd like to congratulate the moviemakers for sweeping away the stench and the taste of ashes still lingering in the public's mouth from Joel Shumacher's crapfest "Batman and Robin." Christian Bale is a very pretty man (though Hugh Jackman is still the prettiest man in the world) but he makes a fine Batman. He gives the role the needed gravitas and soul-darkness. You understand in this movie why Bruce Wayne needs to become Batman. And they do a very good job of showing how he becomes Batman. Gary Oldman, who has played some very memorable movie villians, is surprisingly wimpy as Jim Gordon, seemingly the only good cop in Gotham City. But wimpy does not mean poorly played. On the other hand, Katie Holmes (no mention of her as the Bearer of the Seed of Scientology is really necessary, is it?) is the most remarkable waste of screen time since Debbie Reynolds in "Singin' In The Rain." I would have cast Linda Fiorentino though it's possible she might seem too old. Katie Holmes comes across as dandylion fluff - one puff and she's blown away. A district attorney character needs to impart at least some menace and the unbearably gorgeous Ms. Fiorentino can do that, in buckets.
This is, of course, a guy flick in a major way. And the gimcracks, dood-dads and gizmos don't disappoint. The new Batmobile is brilliant. I repeat: "Batman Begins" is a definite rental. It's not worth owning, but dashedly few movies are.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Beautiful Wretched Excess
I read "Forbes FYI" magazine. I don't know why. Probably for the same reason that I look at the ads for fractional ownership of jet aircraft. Such shiny, glittering, pretty things! And so wonderfully, wonderfully expensive! But I don't live in Oregon. I didn't even pass through Oregon and buy a PowerBall lottery ticket. So no NetJet. No Bulgari jewelry. The Rolex Oyster encrusted with diamonds will just have to wait.
Then what is it that makes me tear the page out of the magazine and write "blog this" across the top in big block letters? The Sub-Zero PRO 48 refrigerator. Here's what Richard Nalley has to say:
Now, for the personal aspect of the PRO 48. I like it. I'd say I love it but I don't. I love stainless steel in the kitchen and the glass door on the refrigerator side is weirdly great. But it is too angular and sharp for my taste. And, ay, here's the rub: $12,000. Six times the price of a very good commercial brand. This is just stupid money. And there are a lot of people with stupid money. My momma might have raised a fool but it wasn't me. So my interest in this beast becomes a kind of look under the hood of modern culture because this beast is an expression of 2000's America. So the personal aspect poofs into sudden vapor.
As the article begins: "There are refrigerators now with TVs in the door, refrigerators that look like Victorian farmhouse appliances and refrigerators so shy about being refrigerators at all that they melt into your cabinetry." Of course no kitchen needs to have a TV in the fridge and retro styling and 'dissolving' appliances are all well and good. It's part of the rich pageantry of life and I celebrate the opportunities of modern Americans to live precisely the way they want. Be it retro, be it multimedia food storage or be it a kitchen that seems to have no food storage at all.
But I question a $12K fridge (I'm still tempted to call it an "icebox" as a poke in the eye to the good folks at Sub-Zero) which is faux-industrial. It is not just style; it is foolish pretense. "HelLO! I'm Wolfgang Puuh-uuck!" But you're not. You never will be. Your aspiration to gourmetdom will not be aided by a $12,000 food cooler. It is there not to help you with food but to appear industrial. This is kitchen butch for the dilettante. $12,000 proabaly could buy you a real, albeit small, professional refrigerator. But this is, let us recall, "aspiration." I like aspiration. I admire aspiration but this is not really about aspiration. It is about posing.
And that's just kind of sad.
I read "Forbes FYI" magazine. I don't know why. Probably for the same reason that I look at the ads for fractional ownership of jet aircraft. Such shiny, glittering, pretty things! And so wonderfully, wonderfully expensive! But I don't live in Oregon. I didn't even pass through Oregon and buy a PowerBall lottery ticket. So no NetJet. No Bulgari jewelry. The Rolex Oyster encrusted with diamonds will just have to wait.
Then what is it that makes me tear the page out of the magazine and write "blog this" across the top in big block letters? The Sub-Zero PRO 48 refrigerator. Here's what Richard Nalley has to say:
This is "the refrigerator as heartthrob. With its two doors and four sliding drawers it combines the muscular, industrial effectiveness of restaurant cold storage with the asymmetrical, cabinet-of-curiosities appeal of an old apothecary cupboard. We're talking here about 800 pounds of sculptural reference in welded stainless steel."This, according to the good folks at Sub-Zero, is a paradigm shift. This icebox is for those "who aspire to a professional kitchen lifestyle." The Forbes FYI article wisely grasps the deep and fruity import of that statement, noting that it is "a flight of fancy that would strike people who actually work in professional kitchens as hilarious." Spot on. And let me quote further: "But the point here is the 'aspiring' part; it's all in the approach." It's like looking at NetJet ads. Aspire - aspire like a madman.
Now, for the personal aspect of the PRO 48. I like it. I'd say I love it but I don't. I love stainless steel in the kitchen and the glass door on the refrigerator side is weirdly great. But it is too angular and sharp for my taste. And, ay, here's the rub: $12,000. Six times the price of a very good commercial brand. This is just stupid money. And there are a lot of people with stupid money. My momma might have raised a fool but it wasn't me. So my interest in this beast becomes a kind of look under the hood of modern culture because this beast is an expression of 2000's America. So the personal aspect poofs into sudden vapor.
As the article begins: "There are refrigerators now with TVs in the door, refrigerators that look like Victorian farmhouse appliances and refrigerators so shy about being refrigerators at all that they melt into your cabinetry." Of course no kitchen needs to have a TV in the fridge and retro styling and 'dissolving' appliances are all well and good. It's part of the rich pageantry of life and I celebrate the opportunities of modern Americans to live precisely the way they want. Be it retro, be it multimedia food storage or be it a kitchen that seems to have no food storage at all.
But I question a $12K fridge (I'm still tempted to call it an "icebox" as a poke in the eye to the good folks at Sub-Zero) which is faux-industrial. It is not just style; it is foolish pretense. "HelLO! I'm Wolfgang Puuh-uuck!" But you're not. You never will be. Your aspiration to gourmetdom will not be aided by a $12,000 food cooler. It is there not to help you with food but to appear industrial. This is kitchen butch for the dilettante. $12,000 proabaly could buy you a real, albeit small, professional refrigerator. But this is, let us recall, "aspiration." I like aspiration. I admire aspiration but this is not really about aspiration. It is about posing.
And that's just kind of sad.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Welcome To Year Of Drew Carey's Wives
OK, not wives really. But a lot of the women who played characters with whom Drew's character came close to marrying (or did marry) have recurring roles on current TV shows. Cynthia Watros, who played Kellie Newmark on the Drew Show, is now Libby on "Lost" (one of the so-called "Tailaways"). Kate Walsh, who played Nicki Fifer on the Drew Show, is now Dr. Addison Shepherd on "Grey's Anatomy." Christa, Kate O'Brien, Miller has been on "Scrubs" as far back as 2001. Diane Farr, who was only three episodes of the Drew Carey Show (as Tracy who made dates with Drew, Lewis and Oswald in her first and quite memorable appearance) is now on "Numb3rs."
On the other hand, Jenica Bergere who played handy-unnhhh-man Sharon Bridges on the Drew Show hasn't pulled a recurring role. Nor has Katy Selverstone who played Lisa Robbins, Drew's first love interest on the show. Maybe had their characters gone so far as to get engaged to him, they'd have television roles in their pockets as well. Or maybe it's just a coincidence.
OK, not wives really. But a lot of the women who played characters with whom Drew's character came close to marrying (or did marry) have recurring roles on current TV shows. Cynthia Watros, who played Kellie Newmark on the Drew Show, is now Libby on "Lost" (one of the so-called "Tailaways"). Kate Walsh, who played Nicki Fifer on the Drew Show, is now Dr. Addison Shepherd on "Grey's Anatomy." Christa, Kate O'Brien, Miller has been on "Scrubs" as far back as 2001. Diane Farr, who was only three episodes of the Drew Carey Show (as Tracy who made dates with Drew, Lewis and Oswald in her first and quite memorable appearance) is now on "Numb3rs."
On the other hand, Jenica Bergere who played handy-unnhhh-man Sharon Bridges on the Drew Show hasn't pulled a recurring role. Nor has Katy Selverstone who played Lisa Robbins, Drew's first love interest on the show. Maybe had their characters gone so far as to get engaged to him, they'd have television roles in their pockets as well. Or maybe it's just a coincidence.
The High-Tech File
Cyclists have known about and used it for years. It helped Lance to his unprecented winning streak in the Tour de France. Now, Sony has made a laptop out this modern marvel. Carbon fiber of course. I think we will see it used in progressively more places and the world will be a better palce for it. Its strength and its light weight, used properly, will lead to even such benfits as reduced energy consumption in transportation. And that's a good thing.
Cyclists have known about and used it for years. It helped Lance to his unprecented winning streak in the Tour de France. Now, Sony has made a laptop out this modern marvel. Carbon fiber of course. I think we will see it used in progressively more places and the world will be a better palce for it. Its strength and its light weight, used properly, will lead to even such benfits as reduced energy consumption in transportation. And that's a good thing.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
How Could I Have Missed This?
I've been owing a Jake blog post for a while now and this isn't the one I'd intended. I check his "gigs" page every now and again which allowed me to see him at the start of the month in nearly my own backyard. And it paid off again today. He's going to be in Alexandria, Virginia on November 18 for "An Evening with Four Fabulous Fiddlers."
The truly great thing is the link for the show has a link to Jake's page for his performances at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. He's played two shows there and there are Real Player links to both shows! The latest, from late last November is just over an hour of Jake on stage. A lot of really good material. If you've not listened to him yet and wonder why 'I DO go on' about him, this is your chance to see and hear play in streaming video. Egad, I love the interweb thing.
I've been owing a Jake blog post for a while now and this isn't the one I'd intended. I check his "gigs" page every now and again which allowed me to see him at the start of the month in nearly my own backyard. And it paid off again today. He's going to be in Alexandria, Virginia on November 18 for "An Evening with Four Fabulous Fiddlers."
The truly great thing is the link for the show has a link to Jake's page for his performances at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. He's played two shows there and there are Real Player links to both shows! The latest, from late last November is just over an hour of Jake on stage. A lot of really good material. If you've not listened to him yet and wonder why 'I DO go on' about him, this is your chance to see and hear play in streaming video. Egad, I love the interweb thing.
Honey
I was talking with the Enigmatic Misanthrope recently about the Old BlogDog Homeplace where we kept bees. I would say that we harvested honey but it was much more a case of our keeping bees than actually getting the honey from them. I have great memories of working with the hives and I retain a fair amount of the vocabulary as well (propolis, supers, queen excluders). I could talk bee-keeping. I could talk the hell outta that. But the reality of extracting honey is that it's one of the stickiest, gooiest, messiest things a human could do.
Supers, the "boxes" of which a hive is constructed contain frames which are designed that the bees, who always build their combs a precise distance apart (clever little goobers!), build their combs into an extractable, well, frame. Bees fill each hexagonal cell with honey and then cap off the cell with wax. When the frame is taken out, the cells must be de-capped which is done on a large scale by a special knife with a heated blade. On a smaller scale, a large-bladed knife which is kept warm can be used. Even with the caps off, the viscosity of honey makes getting it out difficult still. It is possible to just cut the comb out of the frame and heat it to the melting point of the wax. The wax and the honey will separate that way but as a processing step, it does not leave the honey raw.
There is much to be said for raw honey.
To get raw honey, an extractor is used. An extractor is a large drum with a spinning interior piece into which frames are put. With enough spin, the honey is flung out of the cells and onto the interior wall of the extractor whence it drains to a collecting container. Filtering the honey at this point is a very good idea. Thus a container of raw honey is now in the hands of the beekeeper. But there is a plethora of honey-sticky equipment and a mass of wax that needs to be cleaned and recycled. The wax recycled, that is. Beeswax candles. Sheets of beeswax that are pressed with hexagonal cells which are designed to be used in frames. Fresh warm beeswax smells very good - sweet from the honey but with a sort of earthiness. Not as good as raw honey but wonderful in its own way.
I still love honey. There's nothing better for sweetening tea. I can't tell you how many fall and winter nights in my young life were spent around the kitchen table with a pot of tea, honey (even our own a few times) and a pitcher of milk. It's the sort of family time that lives in the golden haze of memories of the best times. My mother liked very strong honey - tupelo was her favorite. I like lighter, floral honey with orange blossom being my absolute favorite. To that end, I recently ordered a bottle from a place in Florida and it wasn't terribly good (thus no link). Really good orange blossom honey is deeply flavored, almost perfumey with the scent of orange blossoms. And its a very pale honey - the best I've ever tasted was watery-clear, transparent just tinted with gold. The most beautiful honey I've seen, much less tasted.
The only way to get honey this good is to get it at the end of the orange blossom season. I believe I will have to prevail on Lycurgus to track some down at the right time.
Honey. It's wonderful thing.
I was talking with the Enigmatic Misanthrope recently about the Old BlogDog Homeplace where we kept bees. I would say that we harvested honey but it was much more a case of our keeping bees than actually getting the honey from them. I have great memories of working with the hives and I retain a fair amount of the vocabulary as well (propolis, supers, queen excluders). I could talk bee-keeping. I could talk the hell outta that. But the reality of extracting honey is that it's one of the stickiest, gooiest, messiest things a human could do.
Supers, the "boxes" of which a hive is constructed contain frames which are designed that the bees, who always build their combs a precise distance apart (clever little goobers!), build their combs into an extractable, well, frame. Bees fill each hexagonal cell with honey and then cap off the cell with wax. When the frame is taken out, the cells must be de-capped which is done on a large scale by a special knife with a heated blade. On a smaller scale, a large-bladed knife which is kept warm can be used. Even with the caps off, the viscosity of honey makes getting it out difficult still. It is possible to just cut the comb out of the frame and heat it to the melting point of the wax. The wax and the honey will separate that way but as a processing step, it does not leave the honey raw.
There is much to be said for raw honey.
To get raw honey, an extractor is used. An extractor is a large drum with a spinning interior piece into which frames are put. With enough spin, the honey is flung out of the cells and onto the interior wall of the extractor whence it drains to a collecting container. Filtering the honey at this point is a very good idea. Thus a container of raw honey is now in the hands of the beekeeper. But there is a plethora of honey-sticky equipment and a mass of wax that needs to be cleaned and recycled. The wax recycled, that is. Beeswax candles. Sheets of beeswax that are pressed with hexagonal cells which are designed to be used in frames. Fresh warm beeswax smells very good - sweet from the honey but with a sort of earthiness. Not as good as raw honey but wonderful in its own way.
I still love honey. There's nothing better for sweetening tea. I can't tell you how many fall and winter nights in my young life were spent around the kitchen table with a pot of tea, honey (even our own a few times) and a pitcher of milk. It's the sort of family time that lives in the golden haze of memories of the best times. My mother liked very strong honey - tupelo was her favorite. I like lighter, floral honey with orange blossom being my absolute favorite. To that end, I recently ordered a bottle from a place in Florida and it wasn't terribly good (thus no link). Really good orange blossom honey is deeply flavored, almost perfumey with the scent of orange blossoms. And its a very pale honey - the best I've ever tasted was watery-clear, transparent just tinted with gold. The most beautiful honey I've seen, much less tasted.
The only way to get honey this good is to get it at the end of the orange blossom season. I believe I will have to prevail on Lycurgus to track some down at the right time.
Honey. It's wonderful thing.
Just Minuscule, Petty Life
I made a trip to a stationery store yesterday. Special trip. Out of my way. Why? I needed refill cartridges for my Namiki "Vanishing Point" fountain pen. It is one of my all-time favorite fountain pens. It has one of the finest nibs I've ever used and thus writes in a very thin line. And, as the name implies, the point is retractable. It is not the most elegant looking fountain pen I have (one day I'll count them) but it is the most useful. Of course, "most useful" means most used as well. Leading to a severe out-of-ink situation.
It's possible that the mega stores like Office Depot and Staples have the cartridges for my specific pen but I knew that the office supply store in my old home town had them as I'd bought them there before. So I drove probably 20 minutes more just to be sure I got what I was after. Yet I didn't just get the cartridges. That would be foolish. I also got a bottle of "Wite-Out" to paint the teeth of the upcoming "Dent-O-Lantern" and a glue stick so I can build Bela, the mechanical papercraft bat. It's not all about Halloween but a lot of it is. (Bela is well underway and should be finished today. Pictues will be posted.)
I made a trip to a stationery store yesterday. Special trip. Out of my way. Why? I needed refill cartridges for my Namiki "Vanishing Point" fountain pen. It is one of my all-time favorite fountain pens. It has one of the finest nibs I've ever used and thus writes in a very thin line. And, as the name implies, the point is retractable. It is not the most elegant looking fountain pen I have (one day I'll count them) but it is the most useful. Of course, "most useful" means most used as well. Leading to a severe out-of-ink situation.
It's possible that the mega stores like Office Depot and Staples have the cartridges for my specific pen but I knew that the office supply store in my old home town had them as I'd bought them there before. So I drove probably 20 minutes more just to be sure I got what I was after. Yet I didn't just get the cartridges. That would be foolish. I also got a bottle of "Wite-Out" to paint the teeth of the upcoming "Dent-O-Lantern" and a glue stick so I can build Bela, the mechanical papercraft bat. It's not all about Halloween but a lot of it is. (Bela is well underway and should be finished today. Pictues will be posted.)
Gnat Lileks Is A Brilliant Child
Today's little bit o' Halloween is Miss Natalie's reaction to being served a bowl of Frankenberry cereal: "It looks like noses in blood, dad.”
From today's Bleat.
Today's little bit o' Halloween is Miss Natalie's reaction to being served a bowl of Frankenberry cereal: "It looks like noses in blood, dad.”
From today's Bleat.
Monday, October 17, 2005
More Halloween
There had to be a Halloween blog. And there is, of course: Projo Halloween 2005. I've probably shot myself in the foot by posting the blog instead of mining it for a succession of posts here on PoW. But I do think it's better to be honest about it. I'd prefer not to have someone swipe my content without attribution so why should not adhere to my own standards?
Yeah, I've heard all the reasons. They're not good enough. Check out the link. Oooh! A tube full of eyeballs! Creepy! (Yet so easy.)
There had to be a Halloween blog. And there is, of course: Projo Halloween 2005. I've probably shot myself in the foot by posting the blog instead of mining it for a succession of posts here on PoW. But I do think it's better to be honest about it. I'd prefer not to have someone swipe my content without attribution so why should not adhere to my own standards?
Yeah, I've heard all the reasons. They're not good enough. Check out the link. Oooh! A tube full of eyeballs! Creepy! (Yet so easy.)
Sunday, October 16, 2005
There Will Be Halloween Blogging
Installment The First: RavensBlight. There's some fun stuff here. Downloadable games for the PC, papercraft toys you can make. I'm in the process of making Bela the mechanical bat. I need a glue stick at this point. But I should have it done in a day or so. There will be a picture, I promise.
I've been known to stick a knife in a pumpkin or two for the day. In fact, I have a tradition of making a "Dent-O-Lantern" for my dentist. I like my dentist. I like his whole family. I will dig out previous years pictures and post them but I'll lead with this year's which I'll make late in the upcoming week.
Installment The First: RavensBlight. There's some fun stuff here. Downloadable games for the PC, papercraft toys you can make. I'm in the process of making Bela the mechanical bat. I need a glue stick at this point. But I should have it done in a day or so. There will be a picture, I promise.
I've been known to stick a knife in a pumpkin or two for the day. In fact, I have a tradition of making a "Dent-O-Lantern" for my dentist. I like my dentist. I like his whole family. I will dig out previous years pictures and post them but I'll lead with this year's which I'll make late in the upcoming week.
Fast Food Adventures
A while back I laid into the crap being purveyed by some of our more famous roadside distractions. Well, I have to hand out close to a rave this time. I got a craving for a chicken pot pie. I know, it's not a good thing to indulge cravings when your salient problem is calorie retention, but I decided to track one down nonetheless. I considered going to the grocery store but I realized that if I went the grocery route, I'd probably buy more than one and eat them in way too short a period (like one evening? -Ed.) For God's sake, shut up Ed!
So I tried the local KFC/Taco Bell location and KFC does indeed offer a chicken pot pie. I usually get a couple of tacos, a taco salad or a chicken wrap when I go there so I suppose I just never noticed the pot pie. Well, friends and neighbors, this is a delicious chicken pot pie. It has crust only on the top so it's not a sodden mass of gluten with a little pocket of chicken and veg in cream sauce. The filling is very tasty though I'd like a little more chicken in my pot pie than they give. Plus, the crust is remarkable for fast food: light, flaky and baked to a great golden golden brown. Dang. Full marks. My only problem is that now I know there is a good chicken pot pie for the having at the drive-through. This is one of those cases where self-restraint is truly an exercise.
I need to exercise more.
A while back I laid into the crap being purveyed by some of our more famous roadside distractions. Well, I have to hand out close to a rave this time. I got a craving for a chicken pot pie. I know, it's not a good thing to indulge cravings when your salient problem is calorie retention, but I decided to track one down nonetheless. I considered going to the grocery store but I realized that if I went the grocery route, I'd probably buy more than one and eat them in way too short a period (like one evening? -Ed.) For God's sake, shut up Ed!
So I tried the local KFC/Taco Bell location and KFC does indeed offer a chicken pot pie. I usually get a couple of tacos, a taco salad or a chicken wrap when I go there so I suppose I just never noticed the pot pie. Well, friends and neighbors, this is a delicious chicken pot pie. It has crust only on the top so it's not a sodden mass of gluten with a little pocket of chicken and veg in cream sauce. The filling is very tasty though I'd like a little more chicken in my pot pie than they give. Plus, the crust is remarkable for fast food: light, flaky and baked to a great golden golden brown. Dang. Full marks. My only problem is that now I know there is a good chicken pot pie for the having at the drive-through. This is one of those cases where self-restraint is truly an exercise.
I need to exercise more.
Oh, What The Heck
Being the mind-numbed slave of Apple, I went ahead an bought a video from the iTunes Media Store. Fatboy Slim's brilliant "Weapon of Choice" featuring the dancing skills of Christopher "More Cowbell" Walken. $1.99 - worth it. I can't imagine buying another viddy again ever but I had to try it.
Being the mind-numbed slave of Apple, I went ahead an bought a video from the iTunes Media Store. Fatboy Slim's brilliant "Weapon of Choice" featuring the dancing skills of Christopher "More Cowbell" Walken. $1.99 - worth it. I can't imagine buying another viddy again ever but I had to try it.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
More Coffeeblogging
There was an aspect of the Cook's Illustrated article on "coffeehouse coffee" which I neglected in my earlier post. It's what we in the BlogDog family took to calling "Spanish Coffee" or "Cafe Ole!" What is the effect of milk on the bean bevy? The article author had been drinking Starbucks which, in the tasting, was criticized as tasting burnt. Which is my salient complaint about the Beast That Came From Seattle. The author found it hard to accept that assessment.
The initial testing was done on black cofee so a round of tasting coffee with milk was done. And the results were quite different. The darker roasted coffees won the round of "au lait" sippage. Here's a snip that gives some good old CI kitchen science:
Good to know. I'll give Millstone Columbian Supremo (which Millstone considers a medium roast) a try. And, being a good blogger, I'll let you know the results.
There was an aspect of the Cook's Illustrated article on "coffeehouse coffee" which I neglected in my earlier post. It's what we in the BlogDog family took to calling "Spanish Coffee" or "Cafe Ole!" What is the effect of milk on the bean bevy? The article author had been drinking Starbucks which, in the tasting, was criticized as tasting burnt. Which is my salient complaint about the Beast That Came From Seattle. The author found it hard to accept that assessment.
The initial testing was done on black cofee so a round of tasting coffee with milk was done. And the results were quite different. The darker roasted coffees won the round of "au lait" sippage. Here's a snip that gives some good old CI kitchen science:
"...the plain coffee champs, ended up in the lower ranks - bland and insipid, according to the tasters. In contrast, Starbucks landed near the top, along with ... two other fairly assertive coffees. The bitter, burnt notes that had menaced tasters in the first round were suddenly 'robust' and 'complex' when tempered by the milk. ... Additional research revealed that the proteins in milk (and cream) bind some of the bitter-tasting phenolic compounds, reducing the bitterness and intensity of the coffee flavor."
Good to know. I'll give Millstone Columbian Supremo (which Millstone considers a medium roast) a try. And, being a good blogger, I'll let you know the results.
I Like Librarians
They are the shock troops of the information revolution. In real life, I've known a few and I have never met a better buch of people (mostly ladies but a few gentlemen are in the mix). I've never met a bellydancing librarian. But I'd like to. (Hat Tip: The Straight White Guy)
They are the shock troops of the information revolution. In real life, I've known a few and I have never met a better buch of people (mostly ladies but a few gentlemen are in the mix). I've never met a bellydancing librarian. But I'd like to. (Hat Tip: The Straight White Guy)
Friday, October 14, 2005
Not A Movie Review
I saw Kiera Knightley on Leno's Tonight Show a night or so ago. She was shilling for the new movie "Domino" which seems to be gathering wretched reviews. I haven't seen it. Doubt that I will. But Ms. Knightley's voice is one of the most wonderful to hear that I've ever heard. I have no special affection for the British accent but hers is just so delightful. Maybe I should go to the movie and not watch it, just listen.
I saw Kiera Knightley on Leno's Tonight Show a night or so ago. She was shilling for the new movie "Domino" which seems to be gathering wretched reviews. I haven't seen it. Doubt that I will. But Ms. Knightley's voice is one of the most wonderful to hear that I've ever heard. I have no special affection for the British accent but hers is just so delightful. Maybe I should go to the movie and not watch it, just listen.
What I Forgot
Knocked a few cobwebs out of the noggin and recalled what I meant to post in my "Miscellany" post below: Blogger seems to be running faster lately. Thank goodness for that. I started to post a few times and bagged it after waiting for Blogger to get the "Create" window up and running.
Another thing that I stumbled on today is Mark Cuban's blog where he posts about network television now being available via the iTunes Music Store (better make that the ITunes Media Store from now on). He does a good job of laying out the changes that this tectonic shift in content delivery is likely to make. Now is the autumn and our disc content has been made glorious summer by this son of Apple, to put an ugly gloss on the Bard.
I don't know if there's going to be a lot of yak about the changes we'll be seeing but expect that things will change. If DVD sales can resurrect "The Family Guy" from network oblivion, what will $2 TV shows do for series that are good but broadcast against network juggernauts like "CSI?" It could mean life for good but underappreciated shows. And speaking of good things, Lileks is now podcasting. Life just keeps getting better.
Knocked a few cobwebs out of the noggin and recalled what I meant to post in my "Miscellany" post below: Blogger seems to be running faster lately. Thank goodness for that. I started to post a few times and bagged it after waiting for Blogger to get the "Create" window up and running.
Another thing that I stumbled on today is Mark Cuban's blog where he posts about network television now being available via the iTunes Music Store (better make that the ITunes Media Store from now on). He does a good job of laying out the changes that this tectonic shift in content delivery is likely to make. Now is the autumn and our disc content has been made glorious summer by this son of Apple, to put an ugly gloss on the Bard.
I don't know if there's going to be a lot of yak about the changes we'll be seeing but expect that things will change. If DVD sales can resurrect "The Family Guy" from network oblivion, what will $2 TV shows do for series that are good but broadcast against network juggernauts like "CSI?" It could mean life for good but underappreciated shows. And speaking of good things, Lileks is now podcasting. Life just keeps getting better.
Artificial Arteries, Spare Parts For The Spine
If you are ever tempted to think that the world is going to hell in handbasket (or in my case in ham biscuit), keep in mind that brilliant people are doing brilliant things every day that will make our lives better as we age or for those who are afflicted. Today's case in point is the development of synthetic resilin. Here's a snip from the article to give you an idea of what this means for us:
Speaking as one whose joints are afflicted by age and wear, this is just fantastic news. If you've got bad knees, think how they could restored by pads of resilin where the cartilage has been worn away. Not only would you not have the pain of bone-on-bone but your knees would be even more resilient than they were when they had "mere" cartilage pads.
I'm quite sure that there are a huge number of bio-mechanical applications for this that I can't even imagine. It gives me great hope for the future. Scientists, even those yobbos down in Oz, are learning how nature has given its tiniest creatures the capabilities to do amazing things. And it will benefit all mankind.
I look forward to the day I can report a breakthrough of this nature for those who suffer from Interstitial Cystitis.
On the other hand, it's not like this hasn't been thought of back in the 60s....
If you are ever tempted to think that the world is going to hell in handbasket (or in my case in ham biscuit), keep in mind that brilliant people are doing brilliant things every day that will make our lives better as we age or for those who are afflicted. Today's case in point is the development of synthetic resilin. Here's a snip from the article to give you an idea of what this means for us:
Chris Elvin, from CSIRO Livestock Industries in Brisbane, spent four years reproducing nature's "near perfect rubber". Dr Elvin said yesterday: "Nature had a couple of hundred million years of evolution do it. All insects have it. It gives them almost frictionless movement.Here's a link to the article from CSIRO itself.
"Fleas have a pad of it in their legs. They squeeze and compress it, storing energy in it." When they want to jump "they release all that energy in a millisecond".
If humans had such pads they could leap 100-storey buildings.
Speaking as one whose joints are afflicted by age and wear, this is just fantastic news. If you've got bad knees, think how they could restored by pads of resilin where the cartilage has been worn away. Not only would you not have the pain of bone-on-bone but your knees would be even more resilient than they were when they had "mere" cartilage pads.
I'm quite sure that there are a huge number of bio-mechanical applications for this that I can't even imagine. It gives me great hope for the future. Scientists, even those yobbos down in Oz, are learning how nature has given its tiniest creatures the capabilities to do amazing things. And it will benefit all mankind.
I look forward to the day I can report a breakthrough of this nature for those who suffer from Interstitial Cystitis.
On the other hand, it's not like this hasn't been thought of back in the 60s....
Sweet, Sweet Death by Calories
Bill Nicholson's Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce. And for just the briefest moment I had the fantasy of making this. Then I realized that to burn off the calories, I'd have to vibrate for several weeks at such a frequency that only dogs could hear me. On the other hand, consuming this would probably make doing so fairly easy.
Bill Nicholson's Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce. And for just the briefest moment I had the fantasy of making this. Then I realized that to burn off the calories, I'd have to vibrate for several weeks at such a frequency that only dogs could hear me. On the other hand, consuming this would probably make doing so fairly easy.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Miscellany
A speaker set for the iPod Nano. Very cool.
The new iMac on a second look: Dang! You can get a 20 inch G5 iMac (albeit without a phone modem but, as I said before, so what?) for, let me be honest, easily $500 less than I paid for mine less than a year ago. Not only that, the new one has a faster processor, a built-in camera and a larger hard drive. Oh fer ... what's not to like?
Kitchen blogging: This is a very cool egg timer. (via Gizmodo)
Someone has done a very smart thing: Akihabara news online. Akihabara (meaning "field of autumn leaves" if I recall correctly - love that name) is tech central in Tokyo. Modern Japan writ in an explosion of colorful pastic and "Hello Kitty" high tech. Man! do I hate typing the phrase "'Hello Kitty' high tech!"
There was something else I had in mind to post but I'm going Oldtimers diseased on it. So I suppose I'll have to pin it up here later.
A speaker set for the iPod Nano. Very cool.
The new iMac on a second look: Dang! You can get a 20 inch G5 iMac (albeit without a phone modem but, as I said before, so what?) for, let me be honest, easily $500 less than I paid for mine less than a year ago. Not only that, the new one has a faster processor, a built-in camera and a larger hard drive. Oh fer ... what's not to like?
Kitchen blogging: This is a very cool egg timer. (via Gizmodo)
Someone has done a very smart thing: Akihabara news online. Akihabara (meaning "field of autumn leaves" if I recall correctly - love that name) is tech central in Tokyo. Modern Japan writ in an explosion of colorful pastic and "Hello Kitty" high tech. Man! do I hate typing the phrase "'Hello Kitty' high tech!"
There was something else I had in mind to post but I'm going Oldtimers diseased on it. So I suppose I'll have to pin it up here later.
Avoiding Too Many Updates
Below I have updates on my music post wherein I mention that I have Roger Daltrey's solo album "Ride a Rock Horse" on 8-track. I was wrong. I have Daltrey's first solo album (called, can you guess?, "Daltrey") on 8-track. And here's the proof.
UPDATE: Will this update madness never stop? Doesn't Roger look angelic in that artwork? He ain't nearly that pretty now - the skin is showing the ravages of time but I have no reason to attack him. He at least still lives. Sorry Moonie. Sorry Ox. What's notable about this recording (ha! it's an 8-track so I can't call it an album or disc now can I?) is that the feature song is Leo Sayer's "One Man Band." It's sad that Sayer got to be known for "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" when he'd written much better songs. I need to get out the 8-track player (Yes, I still have one) and listen to it again. This has some good stuff on it.
Coffeeblogging
I am not as addicted to the sweet bean, bearer of caffeine, as I used to be but I still drink it regularly. Pretty muchevery day but not necessarily so. I gave up my 'subscription' to Gevalia a few months ago and have subsisted on Dunkin' Donuts coffee since. I used to like the DD coffee a lot, even to the point of preferring it to other, more expensive (cough Starbucks cough) coffees.
However, the latest "Cook's Illustrated" has an article on "supermarket" whole bean coffee. Included therein was the DD original blend. As usual for one of their articles, there was not just subjective tasting but technical testing as well. Coffee is tested by its Agtron reading which measures the darkness of the roast by testing how much light the beans reflect. A high Agtron number means the bean reflects more light and thus is lighter roasted. Dunkin' Donuts coffee tested at an Agtron of 59.9 which was the highest of the eight coffees tested. I'm not a fan of really dark roasts so this was just fine with me.
It was the other test which threw me. Coffees are tested for "quakers" which the article defines as "coffee-industry jargon for an under-developed coffee bean that fails to get sorted out before the roasting stage." The writier of the article then went about sorting out enough quakers to make a pot. It wasn't good:
Eight O'Clock Coffee. Oh for the memories. When I was but a lad my mother shopped at the A&P. Said store has gone the way of the dodo but it was a good grocery store all those years ago. And mom bought Eight O'Clock Coffee there. In fact, I thought it was the house coffee of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. My formative memories of coffee are smelling the whole beans being ground at the store. Now it's commonplace to have a grinder on the coffee aisle but then, it was decidedly out of the ordinary. And the smell of the fresh ground coffee was ... how to explain ... ambrosial. It smelled better than the coffee tasted, better than the coffee smelled brewing. I knew even back then that I would be a coffee drinker when the time came.
So now it seems I've reached the fullest point of the circle. I see that Food Lion (slogan: If we say it's food, we're lyin') carries Eight O'Clock. I'll see if it is for me what madelines were for Proust.
I am not as addicted to the sweet bean, bearer of caffeine, as I used to be but I still drink it regularly. Pretty muchevery day but not necessarily so. I gave up my 'subscription' to Gevalia a few months ago and have subsisted on Dunkin' Donuts coffee since. I used to like the DD coffee a lot, even to the point of preferring it to other, more expensive (cough Starbucks cough) coffees.
However, the latest "Cook's Illustrated" has an article on "supermarket" whole bean coffee. Included therein was the DD original blend. As usual for one of their articles, there was not just subjective tasting but technical testing as well. Coffee is tested by its Agtron reading which measures the darkness of the roast by testing how much light the beans reflect. A high Agtron number means the bean reflects more light and thus is lighter roasted. Dunkin' Donuts coffee tested at an Agtron of 59.9 which was the highest of the eight coffees tested. I'm not a fan of really dark roasts so this was just fine with me.
It was the other test which threw me. Coffees are tested for "quakers" which the article defines as "coffee-industry jargon for an under-developed coffee bean that fails to get sorted out before the roasting stage." The writier of the article then went about sorting out enough quakers to make a pot. It wasn't good:
"The smell was putrid enough, but the first taste dispelled any suspicions that quaker count was merely some academic exercise. The experiment isolated a taste I've always associated with bad gas-station coffee but conflated (incorrectly) with the burnt taste that comes from leaving the pot on the burner too long."Yikes. Guess which coffee had the highest quaker count? Yep - Dunkin' Donuts with 9 in a pound. One of the dark roasts (Seattle's Best Blend) had a zero quaker count. This leaves me feeling very conflicted about my coffee. Should I go back to Gevalia's "Coffee of the Month Club?" Or should I track down one of the others in the test? I still like the DD coffee but I can't keep the idea that the reason it's inexpensive is that there are shortcuts in the roasting process out of my mind. I believe that I will try to track down Eight O'Clock Coffee. It has an Agtron about 8 points less than DD. It tested to only 6 quakers and it got good marks from the tasters. It's also at a very good price point ($5 for 13 ounces).
Eight O'Clock Coffee. Oh for the memories. When I was but a lad my mother shopped at the A&P. Said store has gone the way of the dodo but it was a good grocery store all those years ago. And mom bought Eight O'Clock Coffee there. In fact, I thought it was the house coffee of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. My formative memories of coffee are smelling the whole beans being ground at the store. Now it's commonplace to have a grinder on the coffee aisle but then, it was decidedly out of the ordinary. And the smell of the fresh ground coffee was ... how to explain ... ambrosial. It smelled better than the coffee tasted, better than the coffee smelled brewing. I knew even back then that I would be a coffee drinker when the time came.
So now it seems I've reached the fullest point of the circle. I see that Food Lion (slogan: If we say it's food, we're lyin') carries Eight O'Clock. I'll see if it is for me what madelines were for Proust.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
More Apple Madness
I've been casting my googly eye over Apple's new offerings and I'm left pole-axed again. First - the video-capable iPod. Ummm. Ok. Things I like: smaller form factor (sleeker than previous models), same luscious Apple design (yes, more of the same but it's such a gorgeous sameness), 30 & 60 gig sizes at $300 and $400 per - excellent price points. Things I don't care about: video capability. It's a great idea and I'm sure many people have been salivating for it but I just don't need to watch video on a li'l bitty screen. On the other hand, the iTunes Music Store (with an update to iTunes 6) now sells television show episodes. $1.99 for an episode of "Lost" for example. I love the idea but am I going to buy an episode? Let's see what the Magic 8 Ball has to say - "Outlook Not So Good." Dang. It's right again!
Now, there's a new iMac as well. Nice features set: built-in iSight camera (and a new fun app "Photo Booth"), sleeker design - that seems to be a given in Apple's design skunkworks these days, and interestingly it comes with a wireless card built in but now a modem for dial-up is optional. Sure makes sense to me. I'd love to have one of the new ones but that would be one of those "if I won the lottery" purchases.
All in all, the new Apple cool junk is a step forward. An incremental step, no new dents in the universe, but real progress in anyone's estimation.
I've been casting my googly eye over Apple's new offerings and I'm left pole-axed again. First - the video-capable iPod. Ummm. Ok. Things I like: smaller form factor (sleeker than previous models), same luscious Apple design (yes, more of the same but it's such a gorgeous sameness), 30 & 60 gig sizes at $300 and $400 per - excellent price points. Things I don't care about: video capability. It's a great idea and I'm sure many people have been salivating for it but I just don't need to watch video on a li'l bitty screen. On the other hand, the iTunes Music Store (with an update to iTunes 6) now sells television show episodes. $1.99 for an episode of "Lost" for example. I love the idea but am I going to buy an episode? Let's see what the Magic 8 Ball has to say - "Outlook Not So Good." Dang. It's right again!
Now, there's a new iMac as well. Nice features set: built-in iSight camera (and a new fun app "Photo Booth"), sleeker design - that seems to be a given in Apple's design skunkworks these days, and interestingly it comes with a wireless card built in but now a modem for dial-up is optional. Sure makes sense to me. I'd love to have one of the new ones but that would be one of those "if I won the lottery" purchases.
All in all, the new Apple cool junk is a step forward. An incremental step, no new dents in the universe, but real progress in anyone's estimation.
This Month's Discs
As you can see, the "longings" section has been updated. "The Who By Numbers" and "The Best of Emerson, Lake & Palmer." Return to roots. I, despite the fact that I seem to have become Mr. Folk of late, am a slobbering fan boy for The Who. No one ever wrote music like Townshend. No one sang quite Like Daltrey (I even have his solo "Under A Raging Moon" CD and somewhere I have his "Ride a Rock Horse" on 8-track tape I think - eeesh I'm old), The Ox was much more a of a musician than his bass playing ever let on and no one ever, ever drummed like Keith Moon. Too bad he wanted desperately to be a singer because he was a lousy singer. But listen to "Quadrophenia" just for the elaborate runs and fills Moonie played. Oh my ever-loving God. Fabulous. Perfect.
But the reason for getting "...By Numbers" is not just the superb musicianship but the songs, natch. "Squeeze Box" is the "big hit" from the disc and it's sad, really, that such a weak and puerile song could take precedence over such great songs as "Slip Kid," "However Much I Booze," "Imagine A Man" and "Blue, Red and Grey." The last is, in my estimation, a vastly over looked gem in The Who's body of work. It is a small song from a band that invented the rock opera. Queen was as operatic as The Who (witness "Bohemian Rhapsody") but Pete and the lads pounded it out with much more ferocity, more concentrated fury (witness "The Real Me" on "Quadrophenia"). "Blue, Red and Grey" is involving, personal, even intimate. But in a good way because, let's face it, Pete Townshend can go TMI intimate without hardly trying ("Pictures of Lily" anyone?) That being as it may, "By Numbers" came out in my sophomore year of college and I've regretted not owning a copy ever since. One less regret to lug around.
As for EL&P, well, "From The Beginning," "Jerusalem," "Still You Turn Me On" are sufficient reason to have the disc. I like the group but I'm not such a ravening ELPhile that I'm going to own all the original discs. So the best of is a good selection and will probably handle any desire to hear classically-influenced prog-rock from England (having long ago got the best of the Moody Blues, doncha know) I can muster up. Damn good stuff it all is.
Though "Tarkus" does make me want to track down "One Toke Over The Line" from Brewer & Shipley's "Tarkio Road" album....
UPDATE: Thank you LimeWire. It looks as though the song was on a "One Hit Wonders" disc. Too bad. Brewer & Shipley were better than that.
UPDATE THE SECOND: I did a quick Google of "Tarkio Road" and checked out the Amazon page. Holy moly. There are four copies of this on vinyl (I'm pretty sure it's vinyl they're selling) from $40 to $45. Yow. I'm pretty sure that one of my sibs had this disc. But it's probably gone the way of most vinyl - down the Rue Ful Action. Alas, memory fails yet again. The album was "Tarkio" while the song was "Tarkio Road."
As you can see, the "longings" section has been updated. "The Who By Numbers" and "The Best of Emerson, Lake & Palmer." Return to roots. I, despite the fact that I seem to have become Mr. Folk of late, am a slobbering fan boy for The Who. No one ever wrote music like Townshend. No one sang quite Like Daltrey (I even have his solo "Under A Raging Moon" CD and somewhere I have his "Ride a Rock Horse" on 8-track tape I think - eeesh I'm old), The Ox was much more a of a musician than his bass playing ever let on and no one ever, ever drummed like Keith Moon. Too bad he wanted desperately to be a singer because he was a lousy singer. But listen to "Quadrophenia" just for the elaborate runs and fills Moonie played. Oh my ever-loving God. Fabulous. Perfect.
But the reason for getting "...By Numbers" is not just the superb musicianship but the songs, natch. "Squeeze Box" is the "big hit" from the disc and it's sad, really, that such a weak and puerile song could take precedence over such great songs as "Slip Kid," "However Much I Booze," "Imagine A Man" and "Blue, Red and Grey." The last is, in my estimation, a vastly over looked gem in The Who's body of work. It is a small song from a band that invented the rock opera. Queen was as operatic as The Who (witness "Bohemian Rhapsody") but Pete and the lads pounded it out with much more ferocity, more concentrated fury (witness "The Real Me" on "Quadrophenia"). "Blue, Red and Grey" is involving, personal, even intimate. But in a good way because, let's face it, Pete Townshend can go TMI intimate without hardly trying ("Pictures of Lily" anyone?) That being as it may, "By Numbers" came out in my sophomore year of college and I've regretted not owning a copy ever since. One less regret to lug around.
As for EL&P, well, "From The Beginning," "Jerusalem," "Still You Turn Me On" are sufficient reason to have the disc. I like the group but I'm not such a ravening ELPhile that I'm going to own all the original discs. So the best of is a good selection and will probably handle any desire to hear classically-influenced prog-rock from England (having long ago got the best of the Moody Blues, doncha know) I can muster up. Damn good stuff it all is.
Though "Tarkus" does make me want to track down "One Toke Over The Line" from Brewer & Shipley's "Tarkio Road" album....
UPDATE: Thank you LimeWire. It looks as though the song was on a "One Hit Wonders" disc. Too bad. Brewer & Shipley were better than that.
UPDATE THE SECOND: I did a quick Google of "Tarkio Road" and checked out the Amazon page. Holy moly. There are four copies of this on vinyl (I'm pretty sure it's vinyl they're selling) from $40 to $45. Yow. I'm pretty sure that one of my sibs had this disc. But it's probably gone the way of most vinyl - down the Rue Ful Action. Alas, memory fails yet again. The album was "Tarkio" while the song was "Tarkio Road."
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
A Return To Posting?
Let's hope.
I have been so uninspired. But somethings make me feel like a natural blogger. I found something that might let me integrate some sound and motion to the PoW party mix. A little something called Castpost. Hmmm. Intriguing....
Let's hope.
I have been so uninspired. But somethings make me feel like a natural blogger. I found something that might let me integrate some sound and motion to the PoW party mix. A little something called Castpost. Hmmm. Intriguing....
Friday, October 07, 2005
House Cleaning
I am afflicted with thet typical guy's gadgetphilia. Even unto such things as vacuum cleaners. Basically, if you make a gadget that promises to make cleaning my house easier, I'm going to give it serious consideration if not just buy the darn thing outright. So what have I done when faced with taking the wallpaper (two layers) off the kitchen wall where the range/microwave hood project seems to be the on-going project for the rest of the month? I bought a Scunci steamer.
It is, after all, steam that is used by those devices that are dedicated to wallpaper removal. But I'm not going into the business and I didn't want to rent one since I wanted to do this at my own glacial pace. Besides, once the wallpaper is removed, I'll still have a steam cleaner that I can use to (you see this coming, don't you) clean.
Short story: the steamer works very well for wallpaper removal. It doesn't have a huge capacity so I wouldn't want to use it to clear an entire room of wallpaper in short order. But for working a section at a time, and the fairly small wall space between counter and cabinet, it works rather well. And I gave my fridge front a quick steam down and wipe with a dishcloth. Yeesh. More dirt was on there I realized.
I got my steamer at good old Bed, Bath & Beyond with one of their 20% off coupons. I can recommed it both for cleaning and the price, provided you use a coupon.
I am afflicted with thet typical guy's gadgetphilia. Even unto such things as vacuum cleaners. Basically, if you make a gadget that promises to make cleaning my house easier, I'm going to give it serious consideration if not just buy the darn thing outright. So what have I done when faced with taking the wallpaper (two layers) off the kitchen wall where the range/microwave hood project seems to be the on-going project for the rest of the month? I bought a Scunci steamer.
It is, after all, steam that is used by those devices that are dedicated to wallpaper removal. But I'm not going into the business and I didn't want to rent one since I wanted to do this at my own glacial pace. Besides, once the wallpaper is removed, I'll still have a steam cleaner that I can use to (you see this coming, don't you) clean.
Short story: the steamer works very well for wallpaper removal. It doesn't have a huge capacity so I wouldn't want to use it to clear an entire room of wallpaper in short order. But for working a section at a time, and the fairly small wall space between counter and cabinet, it works rather well. And I gave my fridge front a quick steam down and wipe with a dishcloth. Yeesh. More dirt was on there I realized.
I got my steamer at good old Bed, Bath & Beyond with one of their 20% off coupons. I can recommed it both for cleaning and the price, provided you use a coupon.
And In The Parody Song Category
A "Lost" parody of the famous "Llama Song." If you're not familiar, hit the llama link first. Then understand that I have no explanation for the song. Then hit the "Lost" version. Then come back here ands explain it to me. But it makes me laugh and sometimes that's enough.
A "Lost" parody of the famous "Llama Song." If you're not familiar, hit the llama link first. Then understand that I have no explanation for the song. Then hit the "Lost" version. Then come back here ands explain it to me. But it makes me laugh and sometimes that's enough.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Television
I've seen a few of the season's new shows and have come to the conclusion that Fox's "Arrested Development" is without question the funniest show being broadcast today. I almost fell over when Jason Bateman's Michael Bluth says of Scott Baio's character lawyer Bob Loblaw. "Let's not talk nonsense to Bob Loblaw." Say that out loud: "Let's not talk nonsense to blablabla." Believe me: it really, really works. It's unusual in that most shows the audience has to have someone to like, someone who's not a total crapweasel. In "AD's" case that would be the Michael Bluth character but he's been written to be just over the edge stupid and just over the edge crapweasel-wise that you can't ever see him as the hero of the show. So the viewer has no real rooting interest. Yet the writing is so incredibly funny that you can't help but love the show.
Case in point is the alleged profession of the "Tobias Funke" character. He has multiple degrees so he's both an analyst and a therapist. So he combines the two on his business card. Yep: "Analrapist" pronounced "ah-nal-rah-pist." Rude but damnably funny.
There is, however, a very unfortunate trend in this year's new shows: The return of the supernatural. I haven't watched the show that actually uses that name on the WB but it looks OK. The worst of it is CBS's "Ghost Whisperer." I know many people are hot for Jennifer Loves Hertits but she's remarkably talentless. A talented torso. Only. And the show is brought to a gullible public by the execrable James Van Praagh. He talks to the dead like I'm having a torrid love affair with Jennifer Lobes Hewitt (her name does lend itself, dunnit?). And the title could not be any more stupid if they set out to make it so.
Of course we have to suffer through this mess because NBC continues to plague us with the hideous Patricia Arquette in "Medium" (no link because I hatehatehate it). If only American toob viewers would just STOP WATCHING THIS CRAP (ahem, sorry I shouldn't shout).
"Lost" continues to kick ass on ABC. Are you not watching it? Shame on you. Rent the first season divid and start now. I'll not hear any carping on this. You must watch "Lost." It may be responsible for the new scary, weird shows: "Threshold" (still good but not quite as good as I thought on watching the pilot) on CBS, "Invasion" (can't bring myself to watch it - it looks too weak to care about) on ABC and "Surface" (I've watched it a bit and it lacks interest - poor CGI work so far) on NBC. I'll just wait for the viewing public (Didn't you just rip them up? -Ed.) to shake this out.
I guess that's about all for now. Don't forget to follow your shows at Snark Central: Television Without Pity.
I've seen a few of the season's new shows and have come to the conclusion that Fox's "Arrested Development" is without question the funniest show being broadcast today. I almost fell over when Jason Bateman's Michael Bluth says of Scott Baio's character lawyer Bob Loblaw. "Let's not talk nonsense to Bob Loblaw." Say that out loud: "Let's not talk nonsense to blablabla." Believe me: it really, really works. It's unusual in that most shows the audience has to have someone to like, someone who's not a total crapweasel. In "AD's" case that would be the Michael Bluth character but he's been written to be just over the edge stupid and just over the edge crapweasel-wise that you can't ever see him as the hero of the show. So the viewer has no real rooting interest. Yet the writing is so incredibly funny that you can't help but love the show.
Case in point is the alleged profession of the "Tobias Funke" character. He has multiple degrees so he's both an analyst and a therapist. So he combines the two on his business card. Yep: "Analrapist" pronounced "ah-nal-rah-pist." Rude but damnably funny.
There is, however, a very unfortunate trend in this year's new shows: The return of the supernatural. I haven't watched the show that actually uses that name on the WB but it looks OK. The worst of it is CBS's "Ghost Whisperer." I know many people are hot for Jennifer Loves Hertits but she's remarkably talentless. A talented torso. Only. And the show is brought to a gullible public by the execrable James Van Praagh. He talks to the dead like I'm having a torrid love affair with Jennifer Lobes Hewitt (her name does lend itself, dunnit?). And the title could not be any more stupid if they set out to make it so.
Of course we have to suffer through this mess because NBC continues to plague us with the hideous Patricia Arquette in "Medium" (no link because I hatehatehate it). If only American toob viewers would just STOP WATCHING THIS CRAP (ahem, sorry I shouldn't shout).
"Lost" continues to kick ass on ABC. Are you not watching it? Shame on you. Rent the first season divid and start now. I'll not hear any carping on this. You must watch "Lost." It may be responsible for the new scary, weird shows: "Threshold" (still good but not quite as good as I thought on watching the pilot) on CBS, "Invasion" (can't bring myself to watch it - it looks too weak to care about) on ABC and "Surface" (I've watched it a bit and it lacks interest - poor CGI work so far) on NBC. I'll just wait for the viewing public (Didn't you just rip them up? -Ed.) to shake this out.
I guess that's about all for now. Don't forget to follow your shows at Snark Central: Television Without Pity.
More Posting Later
Just a snip to keep you amused while I gin up some more original content. The best ad I've seen in ... about forever. (Hat tip to the invaluable Lileks.)
Just a snip to keep you amused while I gin up some more original content. The best ad I've seen in ... about forever. (Hat tip to the invaluable Lileks.)
Saturday, October 01, 2005
New Month - Sorta New Music
This being the first of October, I should be yakking about the new "longings" but this will be, instead, my latest song of praise for Emm Gryner. Yes, I now have my very own copy of "The Great Lakes" and, as has happened so far with every single Emm disc I've gotten, I love it. I find that some of the recordings seem to be overstressed - as if the microphone was pushed beyond its limits. I'm not a sound engineer but I feel like my speakers are being over-driven even though the volume is not high enoguh to cause that. Then a song like "Saturday Night in Nowhere" comes on and it's lapidary and perfect. Then "Ex-boy" follows that and it's recorded so perfectly that I wonder about the songs that are 'stressed.' Emm knows what she's doing so I have to accept that the songs which catch in my ear are they way she wants them. So I'll just say I don't understand it, accept it and move on.
On the cover of the jewel box insert is the phrase "Limited Edition Homemade Album" which is explained inside thus:
Except for those fanatic fans who've made it a point to get everything Emm we could, right? Eh? We love you Emm. Don't forget us when you're playing stadium venues. OK?
I have to say, after this internet-enabled butt-smooch of the estimable Ms. Gryner, that I have the same feeling about Mike Cross. How someone of his talent never became a major, nation-wide star is beyond me.
UPDATE and APOLOGY: I was dead wrong in what I wrote above about the recording in "The Great Lakes." What I was hearing was the limitation of the (good but not great) speakers on my iMac. I played the album through my Bose Wave radio and it did not suffer the clipping I originally head. The recording is perfectly good. The mistake was mine.
This being the first of October, I should be yakking about the new "longings" but this will be, instead, my latest song of praise for Emm Gryner. Yes, I now have my very own copy of "The Great Lakes" and, as has happened so far with every single Emm disc I've gotten, I love it. I find that some of the recordings seem to be overstressed - as if the microphone was pushed beyond its limits. I'm not a sound engineer but I feel like my speakers are being over-driven even though the volume is not high enoguh to cause that. Then a song like "Saturday Night in Nowhere" comes on and it's lapidary and perfect. Then "Ex-boy" follows that and it's recorded so perfectly that I wonder about the songs that are 'stressed.' Emm knows what she's doing so I have to accept that the songs which catch in my ear are they way she wants them. So I'll just say I don't understand it, accept it and move on.
On the cover of the jewel box insert is the phrase "Limited Edition Homemade Album" which is explained inside thus:
"This album was written, recorded, mixed, printed, hand-stamped, stapled, embossed, cut, burned and packaged especially for you by me. Each copy is individually numbered. This copy belongs to: (my name here) D.I.Y or die, With love and thanks (signed) Emm Gryner."My copy is #238. The disc istelf is stamped with a leaf pattern in green that is, well, delightful. I am so enthralled to have a copy of a disc where the artist is so incredibly intimately involved with the production of the entire work. My emotions about such an endeavor are mixed, though, as I think so highly of Emm's work that I can't understand why she's not a major, major star. She has the talent, she has the ability and she's beautiful. That's a complete package. How can someone so good, have the time to produce such personal output? I should just count my lucky stars and move along. But I'd still really like to see Emm hit it so big that she no longer has the time to do things like this.
Except for those fanatic fans who've made it a point to get everything Emm we could, right? Eh? We love you Emm. Don't forget us when you're playing stadium venues. OK?
I have to say, after this internet-enabled butt-smooch of the estimable Ms. Gryner, that I have the same feeling about Mike Cross. How someone of his talent never became a major, nation-wide star is beyond me.
UPDATE and APOLOGY: I was dead wrong in what I wrote above about the recording in "The Great Lakes." What I was hearing was the limitation of the (good but not great) speakers on my iMac. I played the album through my Bose Wave radio and it did not suffer the clipping I originally head. The recording is perfectly good. The mistake was mine.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Why We Fight al Qaeda in Iraq
This is required reading:
The Vodka Pundit
In a nutshell (though please read it all):
"We will have proven that their way is the way of death; our way is the way of life.
This is required reading:
The Vodka Pundit
In a nutshell (though please read it all):
"We will have proven that their way is the way of death; our way is the way of life.
How it will all play out is anyone's guess. But I do know this much. Anyone who claims we should just suffer attacks on our homeland, or retreat before all hope is lost, or surrender our liberties when those freedoms are what we live for--the only thing that person offers you is the same thing offered you by our enemies:
Defeat.
Stick to the game plan. We can win."
Absurd
Archie McPhee has more weird crap (sushi air freshener, anyone?) than you can shake a stick, or scroll a mouse, at but these make me want to cough up a fin. Bacon strips bandages. Heh.
Archie McPhee has more weird crap (sushi air freshener, anyone?) than you can shake a stick, or scroll a mouse, at but these make me want to cough up a fin. Bacon strips bandages. Heh.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
If You Ride
Or if you run or basically do anything that puts you away from home and in harm's way (e.g. being on a road during any one of 24 hours in a day), then a RoadID is a good idea. I have one on my cycling shoes but it has my previous address on it. So I've just ordered a new one with my current address and Lycurgus's phone number. I didn't see much point in having my phone number on it since, if I am in need of emergency attention, there's no one at my house to receive a call. I also included my blood type and that I have no known med allergies.
What else is there to say? Apart from the old saw about "in emergency contact: A Doctor!!!"
Or if you run or basically do anything that puts you away from home and in harm's way (e.g. being on a road during any one of 24 hours in a day), then a RoadID is a good idea. I have one on my cycling shoes but it has my previous address on it. So I've just ordered a new one with my current address and Lycurgus's phone number. I didn't see much point in having my phone number on it since, if I am in need of emergency attention, there's no one at my house to receive a call. I also included my blood type and that I have no known med allergies.
What else is there to say? Apart from the old saw about "in emergency contact: A Doctor!!!"
How Many Dogs Does It Take To Change a Lightbulb?
The Grouchy Old Cripple has the answer. With a cat thrown in for good measure. No pugs though. Having spoken with a friend recently about Jack Russells, I did get a laugh at that answer. Feel free to suggest the pug's answer in comments.
The Grouchy Old Cripple has the answer. With a cat thrown in for good measure. No pugs though. Having spoken with a friend recently about Jack Russells, I did get a laugh at that answer. Feel free to suggest the pug's answer in comments.
The Season Is Over
I suppose this will be my final post about Atlantic Cycling for '05 as this Sunday saw the last official ride of the year. There will be a pick-up ride later but as it will be unsupported, I probably won't be involved. This last ride was out of Chestertown, MD and it never ceases to amaze me how delightful and quaint the Eastern Shore can be. These are charming little towns and the flat terrain makes for pretty good rides (I've heard). Next year I plan to ride a couple of them as well as run support on the others. Lord willin' and the crick don't rise.
The day dawned overcast as I was on the road (a two hour drive to the start is pretty easy when you're up before 90% of the drivers) which is good as it kept the day cooler than it might have otherwise been. The over cast burned off in the late morning so the long riders were out in some heat but it was not blazing so I think it was of little consequence. Definitely a cooler ride than the Easton ride that preceded it. My rest stop was at a marina on Warton Creek where the gentleman taking care of the place could not have been more accomodating or more friendly. It was a pleasure to set up in his venue. I'm embarrassed, however, that the watermelon I got was not up to snuff. I've had such good luck getting melons at Costco that I didn't adequately test the one I brought to this ride. It was OK and that I'd refrigerated it helped but it was starting to show its age.
Still, the riders were appreciative even as I apologized so I feel that it wasn't a big problem. Thank goodness. Actually, the riders were wonderful. They hit my stop after riding some 50 of 65 miles so they have every right to be tired, worn and cranky but they just weren't. They were cheery and friendly. Which really makes running a rest stop a pleasure. I even had the chance to drag out my rusty Chinese and Japanese with a few riders. Not a one of which was of oriental heritage, mind you. They were nice about my hideously rusty Zhongwen and Nihongo.
My year of ride support has been a blast. The people who are Atlantic cycling have been wonderful. The riders have been great. And the riders have given us good feedback about what we've done for them so it feels good. I look forward to continuing my association with this great buch of people next year.
I suppose this will be my final post about Atlantic Cycling for '05 as this Sunday saw the last official ride of the year. There will be a pick-up ride later but as it will be unsupported, I probably won't be involved. This last ride was out of Chestertown, MD and it never ceases to amaze me how delightful and quaint the Eastern Shore can be. These are charming little towns and the flat terrain makes for pretty good rides (I've heard). Next year I plan to ride a couple of them as well as run support on the others. Lord willin' and the crick don't rise.
The day dawned overcast as I was on the road (a two hour drive to the start is pretty easy when you're up before 90% of the drivers) which is good as it kept the day cooler than it might have otherwise been. The over cast burned off in the late morning so the long riders were out in some heat but it was not blazing so I think it was of little consequence. Definitely a cooler ride than the Easton ride that preceded it. My rest stop was at a marina on Warton Creek where the gentleman taking care of the place could not have been more accomodating or more friendly. It was a pleasure to set up in his venue. I'm embarrassed, however, that the watermelon I got was not up to snuff. I've had such good luck getting melons at Costco that I didn't adequately test the one I brought to this ride. It was OK and that I'd refrigerated it helped but it was starting to show its age.
Still, the riders were appreciative even as I apologized so I feel that it wasn't a big problem. Thank goodness. Actually, the riders were wonderful. They hit my stop after riding some 50 of 65 miles so they have every right to be tired, worn and cranky but they just weren't. They were cheery and friendly. Which really makes running a rest stop a pleasure. I even had the chance to drag out my rusty Chinese and Japanese with a few riders. Not a one of which was of oriental heritage, mind you. They were nice about my hideously rusty Zhongwen and Nihongo.
My year of ride support has been a blast. The people who are Atlantic cycling have been wonderful. The riders have been great. And the riders have given us good feedback about what we've done for them so it feels good. I look forward to continuing my association with this great buch of people next year.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Thursday, September 22, 2005
New On The Roll
I've taken the bull by the horns, bit the bullet and several other clichés by adding Wizbang to the blogroll. I'm saddened by the departure of Sugarmama but since life moves on (and several other clichés) I'm putting in one of my daily reads. Check it out if you haven't already. There's good stuff there every day.
I've taken the bull by the horns, bit the bullet and several other clichés by adding Wizbang to the blogroll. I'm saddened by the departure of Sugarmama but since life moves on (and several other clichés) I'm putting in one of my daily reads. Check it out if you haven't already. There's good stuff there every day.
Jake Update
Life gets so much easier. Instead of having to trot off to Charlottesville on October 1 to see Jake, I have the chance to see him in my neck of the woods. He's coming to Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA on October 2. He's sharing billing with Hit and Run Bluegrass and Smooth Kentucky so I get to hear some new music. Less of Jake is not good but more new music balances that out.
Life gets so much easier. Instead of having to trot off to Charlottesville on October 1 to see Jake, I have the chance to see him in my neck of the woods. He's coming to Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA on October 2. He's sharing billing with Hit and Run Bluegrass and Smooth Kentucky so I get to hear some new music. Less of Jake is not good but more new music balances that out.
The Jet Blue Landing
The Political Teen has the video (hat tip: Lileks) in .wmv format. I made the conscious decision not to watch the landing in real time as I was worried that the plane would smack the tarmac hard and ugly. And I just didn't want to watch that. I've seen enough of the devastation of Katrina and I'm sure Rita will bring her own measure of hardship to a whole new set of people. I'm sort of burnt on disaster I suppose. Still, I did watch the landing this morning.
Can we have a round of applause for the pilots, please? I don't think the landing, given the screwed-up nose wheel, could have possibly gone any better than it did. The losses are, in my grotesquely non-professional estimation, the fuel burned off and dumped, a gouge in the runway and an eroded nose wheel assembly. Of course the nose wheel assembly was already bad so that's not really a much greater loss. And that's it. The plane was under control during the entire landing. It looked like it didn't even waver after the nose wheel burned off and the metal started its shower of sparks. The flight crew should be given a commendation. In my opinion of course.
The Political Teen has the video (hat tip: Lileks) in .wmv format. I made the conscious decision not to watch the landing in real time as I was worried that the plane would smack the tarmac hard and ugly. And I just didn't want to watch that. I've seen enough of the devastation of Katrina and I'm sure Rita will bring her own measure of hardship to a whole new set of people. I'm sort of burnt on disaster I suppose. Still, I did watch the landing this morning.
Can we have a round of applause for the pilots, please? I don't think the landing, given the screwed-up nose wheel, could have possibly gone any better than it did. The losses are, in my grotesquely non-professional estimation, the fuel burned off and dumped, a gouge in the runway and an eroded nose wheel assembly. Of course the nose wheel assembly was already bad so that's not really a much greater loss. And that's it. The plane was under control during the entire landing. It looked like it didn't even waver after the nose wheel burned off and the metal started its shower of sparks. The flight crew should be given a commendation. In my opinion of course.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Bit of a Footy Update
I watched the highlights show of the Sydney Swans semi-final game against the Geelong Cats. I have to admit to having a small rooting interest in Geelong for a few silly reasons. First, Geelong has been a lousy team for the last few years so it's nice to see the low brought high just as it is to see the high brought low (I'm thinking of the coarse and thuggish Brisbane Lions). Secondly, "Geelong" is just a cool name. Say it out loud: Geelong. Heh heh heh. Finally, I read some time ago of a Geelong player who legally changed his name for a limited period of time to "Whiskas" to promote a cat food. That's the kind of absurdity I can appreciate. They also play in "Skilled Stadium" which is another name I like.
Alas, the Cats did not prevail. They should have: they had a lead going into the final minute but Sydney's Nick Davis kicked four goals in the final quarter with his last coming in the last minute of play to put the Swans ahead 56 (7 goals, 14 behinds) to Geelong's 53 (7 goals, 11 behinds). Wowser. Heart-breaking for the Cats but one of the better low-scoring games I've seen.
The other semi-final featured the Adelaide Crows taking the wind out of the Port Adelaide Power (who names these teams?!), who took last year's Premiership, with a thumping 123 (18 goals, 15 behinds) to 40 (5 goals, 10 behinds) win.
The finals matchup is set but I'll save giving results for next week when I watch the West Coast Eagles v. Adelaide and Sydney v. St. Kilda matches.
I watched the highlights show of the Sydney Swans semi-final game against the Geelong Cats. I have to admit to having a small rooting interest in Geelong for a few silly reasons. First, Geelong has been a lousy team for the last few years so it's nice to see the low brought high just as it is to see the high brought low (I'm thinking of the coarse and thuggish Brisbane Lions). Secondly, "Geelong" is just a cool name. Say it out loud: Geelong. Heh heh heh. Finally, I read some time ago of a Geelong player who legally changed his name for a limited period of time to "Whiskas" to promote a cat food. That's the kind of absurdity I can appreciate. They also play in "Skilled Stadium" which is another name I like.
Alas, the Cats did not prevail. They should have: they had a lead going into the final minute but Sydney's Nick Davis kicked four goals in the final quarter with his last coming in the last minute of play to put the Swans ahead 56 (7 goals, 14 behinds) to Geelong's 53 (7 goals, 11 behinds). Wowser. Heart-breaking for the Cats but one of the better low-scoring games I've seen.
The other semi-final featured the Adelaide Crows taking the wind out of the Port Adelaide Power (who names these teams?!), who took last year's Premiership, with a thumping 123 (18 goals, 15 behinds) to 40 (5 goals, 10 behinds) win.
The finals matchup is set but I'll save giving results for next week when I watch the West Coast Eagles v. Adelaide and Sydney v. St. Kilda matches.
A Small Tear, Shed Quietly
Sugarmama has decided to hang up her blogging shoes. If you follow the link, you'll see her explanation. It grieves me that someone who was funny, open and honest about her life on her blog was forced to take such a choice. The slide show page of her pooch Ruby is still up (though I didn't bookmark it so I can't post a link) which is nice because Ruby is an absolute cutie.
That being as it may, I will be removing Sugarmama from the blogroll today as I try to keep the 'roll for active sites. But I'm sorry to be doing so as Sugarmama was something of a blogparent to PoW. I admire the nerve and verve of those who can post details about their lives on their blogs with, it seems, little care that they are laying themselves open to the whole world. Well, the whole internet-accessing world but that's effectively the whole world.
So, Sugarmama: Ave atque vale and my wishes for the very best of what life has to offer. I hope you decide to return to the blogosphere someday and if you do, please drop me a line.
Sugarmama has decided to hang up her blogging shoes. If you follow the link, you'll see her explanation. It grieves me that someone who was funny, open and honest about her life on her blog was forced to take such a choice. The slide show page of her pooch Ruby is still up (though I didn't bookmark it so I can't post a link) which is nice because Ruby is an absolute cutie.
That being as it may, I will be removing Sugarmama from the blogroll today as I try to keep the 'roll for active sites. But I'm sorry to be doing so as Sugarmama was something of a blogparent to PoW. I admire the nerve and verve of those who can post details about their lives on their blogs with, it seems, little care that they are laying themselves open to the whole world. Well, the whole internet-accessing world but that's effectively the whole world.
So, Sugarmama: Ave atque vale and my wishes for the very best of what life has to offer. I hope you decide to return to the blogosphere someday and if you do, please drop me a line.
Monday, September 19, 2005
More Polite Than I Would Be
The Anchoress lays out the new bill of indictment against Bill of Indictment But Not Conviction Clinton. It is strange how an overweening amibtion and "need to be loved" results in such churlish behavior. But neither of the Clintons has let politess and decorum interfere with a, dare I say, naked lust for power. At least Bill has the charm without which the conman is undone.
I'd also like to solicit reader opinion about making some additions to theblogroll. Sugarmama and Kim du Toit have gone dark and will be moved off the roll shortly. I have a few candidates for the list: The Anchoress, Michelle Malkin, Curmudgeonly and Skeptical and Michael Yon are all prime candidates in my mind. Schultzie (C&S) can be rude and he hates Duke but his extremity is delightful. Let me know what you think of these as blogroll fodder.
The Anchoress lays out the new bill of indictment against Bill of Indictment But Not Conviction Clinton. It is strange how an overweening amibtion and "need to be loved" results in such churlish behavior. But neither of the Clintons has let politess and decorum interfere with a, dare I say, naked lust for power. At least Bill has the charm without which the conman is undone.
I'd also like to solicit reader opinion about making some additions to theblogroll. Sugarmama and Kim du Toit have gone dark and will be moved off the roll shortly. I have a few candidates for the list: The Anchoress, Michelle Malkin, Curmudgeonly and Skeptical and Michael Yon are all prime candidates in my mind. Schultzie (C&S) can be rude and he hates Duke but his extremity is delightful. Let me know what you think of these as blogroll fodder.
My Million Dollar Idea
Which is actually "My Million Dollar Idea That I Won't Make A Million Dollars From Because Now I've Put It Up On My Blog Where Anybody Can Steal It" but that's way too long a title. My idea is for an alarm clock. Specifically, an alarm clock that recreates the high-frequency buzz of a flying female mosquito. It would ramp up from the time the alarm is set going from inaudible to ... well, here's where my conception of the idea breaks down. I just don't know any of the technical aspects of how to recreate the buzz of a female mosquito but the volume ramp up can't be too difficult - my Wave radio does it.
The genesis of this idea was in a ryokan in Kyoto at 3am. From being sound asleep I was driven into a fully aware (and comabtive) state by the tiny, lone sound of a skeeter bitch driven into my sleeping chamber by her unholy bloodlust. If that little nipper (Watch it! -Ed.) was the thesis of my idea, Lycurgus gave me the antithesis. We talked once, several years after my Japanese sojourn, about an alarm clock that woke one up gently: didn't blare an alarm, didn't come on to a radio station that might be playing something harsh. I think the Bose Wave does a good job of this, what with its slowly increasing volume (up to the level the user sets) on activating. But I was still left to wonder about those times I hit the snooze and then flaked out or was jolted awake unnaturally.
The synthesis then was to remember how quickly, gently and thoroughly I came to life when I sensed the mosquito in that quiet little inn. One aspect of a mosquito's buzz is that in a quiet room, it sounds like it's *right* *next* *to* *your* *head* when it's actually several feet away. I learned this when I turned on the light in the certain knowledge that the little bugger was about to land on me and saw it out of arm's reach. But I'm sure that an alarm clock that recreates that hideous buzz, with a slowly increasing volume, mimicking a thirsty female mosquito getting closer and closer, would bring any hearing person fully awake without the jolt of a too loud song or klaxon.
Remember, if you ever see this idea on the market, I'm the one losing all those royalties.
Which is actually "My Million Dollar Idea That I Won't Make A Million Dollars From Because Now I've Put It Up On My Blog Where Anybody Can Steal It" but that's way too long a title. My idea is for an alarm clock. Specifically, an alarm clock that recreates the high-frequency buzz of a flying female mosquito. It would ramp up from the time the alarm is set going from inaudible to ... well, here's where my conception of the idea breaks down. I just don't know any of the technical aspects of how to recreate the buzz of a female mosquito but the volume ramp up can't be too difficult - my Wave radio does it.
The genesis of this idea was in a ryokan in Kyoto at 3am. From being sound asleep I was driven into a fully aware (and comabtive) state by the tiny, lone sound of a skeeter bitch driven into my sleeping chamber by her unholy bloodlust. If that little nipper (Watch it! -Ed.) was the thesis of my idea, Lycurgus gave me the antithesis. We talked once, several years after my Japanese sojourn, about an alarm clock that woke one up gently: didn't blare an alarm, didn't come on to a radio station that might be playing something harsh. I think the Bose Wave does a good job of this, what with its slowly increasing volume (up to the level the user sets) on activating. But I was still left to wonder about those times I hit the snooze and then flaked out or was jolted awake unnaturally.
The synthesis then was to remember how quickly, gently and thoroughly I came to life when I sensed the mosquito in that quiet little inn. One aspect of a mosquito's buzz is that in a quiet room, it sounds like it's *right* *next* *to* *your* *head* when it's actually several feet away. I learned this when I turned on the light in the certain knowledge that the little bugger was about to land on me and saw it out of arm's reach. But I'm sure that an alarm clock that recreates that hideous buzz, with a slowly increasing volume, mimicking a thirsty female mosquito getting closer and closer, would bring any hearing person fully awake without the jolt of a too loud song or klaxon.
Remember, if you ever see this idea on the market, I'm the one losing all those royalties.
Planning for Next Year
This year, my deck has been almost completely unused. I cut boards for the new kitchen floor out there. But mostly, it's been wasted space. Ha. Not next year. First, I am going to have it power washed and sealed. It does need that. But more importantly, I'm going to get a few Earthboxes. I'm not a fan of tomatoes - except for the heirloom tomato I ate at my cousin's place in New Jersey - but I may even grow some of them. I can see growing bell peppers, broccoli, lettuce, onions and strawberries. It would be pretty cool to pick my own salad. Lycurgus has used the Earthbox and he says it works as advertised.
UPDATE: I have acquired Peter Loewer's "Small-Space Gardening" in the hopes that some cold-weather reading will have me in the proper frame of mind for getting the Earthboxen going with delicious veggies in the spring.
This year, my deck has been almost completely unused. I cut boards for the new kitchen floor out there. But mostly, it's been wasted space. Ha. Not next year. First, I am going to have it power washed and sealed. It does need that. But more importantly, I'm going to get a few Earthboxes. I'm not a fan of tomatoes - except for the heirloom tomato I ate at my cousin's place in New Jersey - but I may even grow some of them. I can see growing bell peppers, broccoli, lettuce, onions and strawberries. It would be pretty cool to pick my own salad. Lycurgus has used the Earthbox and he says it works as advertised.
UPDATE: I have acquired Peter Loewer's "Small-Space Gardening" in the hopes that some cold-weather reading will have me in the proper frame of mind for getting the Earthboxen going with delicious veggies in the spring.
Aural Assault
iTunes can throw you a curve. I plonk my best side down in front of the 'puter for a morning blog scan and fire up the music. So while looking at the smooth Aaron Neville version of "Crazy Love" (first song in the library list), I click play. Remember that my iTunes is set on "shuffle" so I "never know what I'm gonna git." BAM! "ALL ABOARD!!!!" Yup - Ozzy's "Crazy Train" at a volume higher than I really have should have left the slider. Oh well. What to do? It's Ozzy - crank it UP.
iTunes can throw you a curve. I plonk my best side down in front of the 'puter for a morning blog scan and fire up the music. So while looking at the smooth Aaron Neville version of "Crazy Love" (first song in the library list), I click play. Remember that my iTunes is set on "shuffle" so I "never know what I'm gonna git." BAM! "ALL ABOARD!!!!" Yup - Ozzy's "Crazy Train" at a volume higher than I really have should have left the slider. Oh well. What to do? It's Ozzy - crank it UP.
Some Good Things Don't Die
Comedy Central has David Spade doing his "Hollywood Minute" schtick on "The Showbiz Show with David Spade." Yes, the language is Comedy Central crude but it is the most brilliant skewering of celebs on the television machine. How do I know? Click the link, and watch the .wmv stream of "Brad's special chip." I think the term is "fall-down funny." Then again, this has always been David Spade's most brilliant bit.
(Hat tip: Cathy Seipp via Tim Blair.)
Comedy Central has David Spade doing his "Hollywood Minute" schtick on "The Showbiz Show with David Spade." Yes, the language is Comedy Central crude but it is the most brilliant skewering of celebs on the television machine. How do I know? Click the link, and watch the .wmv stream of "Brad's special chip." I think the term is "fall-down funny." Then again, this has always been David Spade's most brilliant bit.
(Hat tip: Cathy Seipp via Tim Blair.)
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Sometimes, the Schedule is a Framework
Two CDs a month. A guideline, not a rule. I was listening to some Al Stewart the other day. It's incredible that such a whiny-voiced Brit could make me such a fan but damned if he hasn't. Let me point out that I was not a Stewart-come-lately, heard-"Year of the Cat"-first type fan. Oh no. I found him off the FM Duke ran back in the late 70s. Actually, WDBS was one of the best radio stations I've ever listened to, but that's a discussion for a different day. I heard "Roads to Moscow" off the "Past, Present & Future" album and was absolutely poleaxed by it. It is an eight minute tour de force: a history of the Second World War from the Russian perspective of a single fighter whose war begins with the German attack and ends with his being sent to Siberia by the Bolsheviks for whom he fought.
Having said that, when "Year of the Cat" came out, I hastened to buy it (on vinyl of course) and I still think it's a remarkably good disc even if "Cat" has become a cliché of sorts. But I realized that I missed having it. So, despite having made my monthly music acquisitions, I took a look at eBay. A used copy, with a cracked cover for 65 cents. No bids. Closing in five hours. Could I resist? No even a little. Being eBay, the shipping is where the seller will make the money so I'm paying $4.50 (you do the math) for my CD copy of "Year of the Cat." And I will shoehorn it into my iTunes library with great glee. I'm even considering getting "Modern Times" in a future month.
By the way, in case anyone hasn't noticed the theme, here are thetitles of Al Stewart discs of the mid 70s: "Past Present Future" (1973), "Modern Times" (1975), "Year of the Cat" (1976), "Early Years" (1977), and "Time Passages" (1978). I sincerely doubt anyone else could carry off this history-in-folk/pop so well. Jake has his "Ithaca" which is wicked good but Al has entire albums of it.
Two CDs a month. A guideline, not a rule. I was listening to some Al Stewart the other day. It's incredible that such a whiny-voiced Brit could make me such a fan but damned if he hasn't. Let me point out that I was not a Stewart-come-lately, heard-"Year of the Cat"-first type fan. Oh no. I found him off the FM Duke ran back in the late 70s. Actually, WDBS was one of the best radio stations I've ever listened to, but that's a discussion for a different day. I heard "Roads to Moscow" off the "Past, Present & Future" album and was absolutely poleaxed by it. It is an eight minute tour de force: a history of the Second World War from the Russian perspective of a single fighter whose war begins with the German attack and ends with his being sent to Siberia by the Bolsheviks for whom he fought.
Having said that, when "Year of the Cat" came out, I hastened to buy it (on vinyl of course) and I still think it's a remarkably good disc even if "Cat" has become a cliché of sorts. But I realized that I missed having it. So, despite having made my monthly music acquisitions, I took a look at eBay. A used copy, with a cracked cover for 65 cents. No bids. Closing in five hours. Could I resist? No even a little. Being eBay, the shipping is where the seller will make the money so I'm paying $4.50 (you do the math) for my CD copy of "Year of the Cat." And I will shoehorn it into my iTunes library with great glee. I'm even considering getting "Modern Times" in a future month.
By the way, in case anyone hasn't noticed the theme, here are thetitles of Al Stewart discs of the mid 70s: "Past Present Future" (1973), "Modern Times" (1975), "Year of the Cat" (1976), "Early Years" (1977), and "Time Passages" (1978). I sincerely doubt anyone else could carry off this history-in-folk/pop so well. Jake has his "Ithaca" which is wicked good but Al has entire albums of it.
I Can't Explain
I have so much Greg Brown in my iTunes library. I don't like Greg Brown all that much. So why so much? Anyone ... anyone ... Bueller?
I have so much Greg Brown in my iTunes library. I don't like Greg Brown all that much. So why so much? Anyone ... anyone ... Bueller?
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Friday, September 16, 2005
New Shows
I've watched some of "Threshold" (gotta love alien invasion shows, right? OK, maybe not) and have two very good reasons to watch further: a delightful cream-colored Frenchie and the exceptional Peter Dinklage. I also like Charles Dutton but Carla Gugino has never made me press a button on the remote. Well, that's not exactly true, she is fully capable of making me press the "change channel" button when I see she's on a show. The Frenchie's cute as can be though.
I've watched some of "Threshold" (gotta love alien invasion shows, right? OK, maybe not) and have two very good reasons to watch further: a delightful cream-colored Frenchie and the exceptional Peter Dinklage. I also like Charles Dutton but Carla Gugino has never made me press a button on the remote. Well, that's not exactly true, she is fully capable of making me press the "change channel" button when I see she's on a show. The Frenchie's cute as can be though.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Despite My Tendency To Snark
Pugs of War has a cause: Interstitial Cystitis. The link takes you to the IC Support Group of Manhattan which has collected several valuable links on one site. IC is a bladder affliction and as such is one of those things that most people just 'don't want to think about' and is not the subject of polite conversaton. However, for those it afflicts, it is a source of constant pain and is a fetter on a free and active life.
With all the pleading for donations for hurricane victims, PoW wants to call your attention to the PayPal button at the bottom of the linked page. Please consider supporting IC relief in your charitable giving. You won't see a telethon for it but you would be doing something very good for far more people than you'd imagine. I have donated $100 and plan to make that at least a yearly contribution. The tagline here at PoW will stay through the end of the year and I will be posting monthly about supporting IC.
Pugs of War has a cause: Interstitial Cystitis. The link takes you to the IC Support Group of Manhattan which has collected several valuable links on one site. IC is a bladder affliction and as such is one of those things that most people just 'don't want to think about' and is not the subject of polite conversaton. However, for those it afflicts, it is a source of constant pain and is a fetter on a free and active life.
With all the pleading for donations for hurricane victims, PoW wants to call your attention to the PayPal button at the bottom of the linked page. Please consider supporting IC relief in your charitable giving. You won't see a telethon for it but you would be doing something very good for far more people than you'd imagine. I have donated $100 and plan to make that at least a yearly contribution. The tagline here at PoW will stay through the end of the year and I will be posting monthly about supporting IC.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Adieu Mark Messier
I wouldn't normally blog about sports heroes because I have grown too old and these are usually celebrated when you are much younger than I am. Though I will make an exception for Mark Messier of the New York Rangers. He was the last sports figure I was able to regard with both respect and awe. Yesterday he decided at the ripe old age of 44 to call it a career.
He came to New York and played for my beloved hockey team at a time when they hadn't won a Stanley Cup Championship in over 50 years. He was well past his prime and had enjoyed considerable success elsewhere. Most people would have been satisfied with all he had accomplished to that point.
I'm not sure what motivated him but he certainly wasn't afraid of a challenge. In May of 1994 his team was down 3 games to 2 and it looked like it was going to turn out badly for the Blueshirts. Instead of rolling over like many people would have and succumbing to the inevitable bad luck that had plagued the Rangers, Messier told the world that he "guaranteed a victory" in their next game.
It was on this occasion that I witnessed something that I will remember all my life. It was one man taking over a game completely and dominating the moment. The quintessential moment came at the beginning of the final period of play and the Rangers were losing by a goal. At was at this moment the TV cameras showed Messier standing in front of all his teammates on the bench exhorting them not to give up. It was such an awesome display of fortitude that even the coach had to stand and just watch. Messier then went out and scored 3 goals in the period and the Rangers won.
From then on nothing could stop the Rangers and their 54 year stretch without a Stanley Cup was over. Accomplishments like this are easily overshadowed these days by reports of athletes compromising their integrity with Steroids, and that's too bad. They would all be better off trying to remember the story of the man who guaranteed a victory and then delivered. Thanks, Mark.
I wouldn't normally blog about sports heroes because I have grown too old and these are usually celebrated when you are much younger than I am. Though I will make an exception for Mark Messier of the New York Rangers. He was the last sports figure I was able to regard with both respect and awe. Yesterday he decided at the ripe old age of 44 to call it a career.
He came to New York and played for my beloved hockey team at a time when they hadn't won a Stanley Cup Championship in over 50 years. He was well past his prime and had enjoyed considerable success elsewhere. Most people would have been satisfied with all he had accomplished to that point.
I'm not sure what motivated him but he certainly wasn't afraid of a challenge. In May of 1994 his team was down 3 games to 2 and it looked like it was going to turn out badly for the Blueshirts. Instead of rolling over like many people would have and succumbing to the inevitable bad luck that had plagued the Rangers, Messier told the world that he "guaranteed a victory" in their next game.
It was on this occasion that I witnessed something that I will remember all my life. It was one man taking over a game completely and dominating the moment. The quintessential moment came at the beginning of the final period of play and the Rangers were losing by a goal. At was at this moment the TV cameras showed Messier standing in front of all his teammates on the bench exhorting them not to give up. It was such an awesome display of fortitude that even the coach had to stand and just watch. Messier then went out and scored 3 goals in the period and the Rangers won.
From then on nothing could stop the Rangers and their 54 year stretch without a Stanley Cup was over. Accomplishments like this are easily overshadowed these days by reports of athletes compromising their integrity with Steroids, and that's too bad. They would all be better off trying to remember the story of the man who guaranteed a victory and then delivered. Thanks, Mark.
Friday, September 09, 2005
iPod Nano
It is so crazy beautiful. I want to use profanity to express how amazing it is. I now have a new, gorgeous iPod called "Marchen." If anyone can figure out why I named it that, a prize will be awarded. (Disclaimer: prize is determined and awarded at the sole discretion of BlogDog.) I'm thinking a five pound bag of gummi bears from Costco as a prize. Almost as sweet as my new 'Pod.
It is so crazy beautiful. I want to use profanity to express how amazing it is. I now have a new, gorgeous iPod called "Marchen." If anyone can figure out why I named it that, a prize will be awarded. (Disclaimer: prize is determined and awarded at the sole discretion of BlogDog.) I'm thinking a five pound bag of gummi bears from Costco as a prize. Almost as sweet as my new 'Pod.
The Bamboo Floor (Cont'd)
When last we left our intrepid new batch of engineered grass flooring, it was one piece of quater-round moulding short of being (in the words of Bart Simpson) done done. Well, I am now in possession of the final piece having had it shipped to my abode through the good graces of Lumber Liquidators. That alone is not exceptional but I was highly intrigued by the shipping. The six foot piece of moulding was wrapped to a slightly longer, slightly wider piece of plywood. Then the two pieces were wrapped in a good double layer of bubble wrap and the shipping label was slapped right onto the bubble wrap. It arrived in perfect shape.
I wouldn't think the bubble wrap would be tough enough to survive but it cetainly did. I don't think I'd try it with consumer-level bubble wrap but obviously there is a commerical version that is tough enough to get through the shipping process unscathed.
When last we left our intrepid new batch of engineered grass flooring, it was one piece of quater-round moulding short of being (in the words of Bart Simpson) done done. Well, I am now in possession of the final piece having had it shipped to my abode through the good graces of Lumber Liquidators. That alone is not exceptional but I was highly intrigued by the shipping. The six foot piece of moulding was wrapped to a slightly longer, slightly wider piece of plywood. Then the two pieces were wrapped in a good double layer of bubble wrap and the shipping label was slapped right onto the bubble wrap. It arrived in perfect shape.
I wouldn't think the bubble wrap would be tough enough to survive but it cetainly did. I don't think I'd try it with consumer-level bubble wrap but obviously there is a commerical version that is tough enough to get through the shipping process unscathed.
Nouvelle Orleans Cuisine
In the manner of the Swanson "Angry Man" dinner posted much earlier, I present menu items from the new Big Greasy:
In the manner of the Swanson "Angry Man" dinner posted much earlier, I present menu items from the new Big Greasy:
Crawfish ScumboI'd feel horrible about this if ... only if ... OK, I can't come up with a reason to feel really horrible about this. I mean, there's the massive human suffering but if I were thinking about that, I wouldn't have made the "Muddy Gras" joke several days ago.
Rot Beans and Rice
EtoufFEH!
Dirty Smelly Rice
Lake Pontchartrain Faecal Soup (not avialable in unleaded)
and for afters:
Beig-nyets
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Hurricane Katrina
Scum rises. Not just the human scum who floated up on the rising waters to rape and loot. Political scum whose "rank hipocrisy" goes back to the lying reason the group was formed. This is nothing new from the scum puppies at Moveon.org.
Scum rises. Not just the human scum who floated up on the rising waters to rape and loot. Political scum whose "rank hipocrisy" goes back to the lying reason the group was formed. This is nothing new from the scum puppies at Moveon.org.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
I'm So Screwed
Apple has done it again. The iPod nano. 2 and 4 gigabyte version of the color iPod priced at $200 and $250. Now the line goes seamlessly from the screenless 512 MB Shuffle at $100 to the 60 gig color-screen iPod for $400.
That distant rustle you hear is me raiding my cash stash to buy a completely unneeded 4 gig iPod nano.
UPDATE: I'm in good company. Lileks shares my distress. Also, courtesy of the New York Liberal Mothership (registration not required in this case) the ad for the iPod Flea. It made me giggle.
Apple has done it again. The iPod nano. 2 and 4 gigabyte version of the color iPod priced at $200 and $250. Now the line goes seamlessly from the screenless 512 MB Shuffle at $100 to the 60 gig color-screen iPod for $400.
That distant rustle you hear is me raiding my cash stash to buy a completely unneeded 4 gig iPod nano.
UPDATE: I'm in good company. Lileks shares my distress. Also, courtesy of the New York Liberal Mothership (registration not required in this case) the ad for the iPod Flea. It made me giggle.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Football and Footy
Last night I was up much later than I planned to be because I got sucked into the vortex of the Miami - Florida State football game. An all-ACC contest (as much as I have mixed emotions about that) between the 9th ranked and 14th ranked teams respectively. Ay yi yi. What a crapfest. FSU won by the glittering score of 10-7. Scoring doesn't necessarily make the game but not scoring can sure unmake the game. Miami did everything but put the ball in the endzone or through the uprights and the FSU defense made Miami look frickin' silly at times. Not that FSU looked like a top 20 team either. If there is any justice in the world (of college sports - and there's not), both teams would drop in the rankings.
So I wasted about as much of my life as I spent on the hideous last Star Wars movie. It's a habit I must break.
On the other hand, the Footy program featured the final regular season game between the top two teams in Aussie Rules: the West Coast Eagles (the "Weagles" - gotta love that) and the Adelaide Crows. The game was played at Subiaco Oval in Perth, home of the Weagles yet the Crows were able to beat the team that has stood atop the ladder all season to take the top spot at the end. The score was Adelaide 82 (12 goals, 10 behinds) to West Coast 74 (10 goals, 14 behinds) and it was a barn-burner. Both teams had something to prove and it showed. West Coast went through much of the season undeafeated only to stumble at bit late. Given the contest I saw, I have to think the Crows are going to take the Premiership this season.
Sadly, the Collingwood Magpies ended the season ahead of only the Carlton Blues who get this year's wooden spoon for finishing at the bottom of the league. Small comfort is taken in the fact that the thuggish Brisbane Lions also finished in the bottom eight and are not in thre hunt for the Premiership. But the Lions finished the year with 40 points to the Pies 20. Collingwood needs to do some serious rebuilding.
A while back, Paul asked what brought me to watch Footy. I don't think I ever posted on that. So.... It's as simple as a jersey. Or guernsey as they're called in Aussie Rules. I happened upon a game where the Richmond Tigers were wearing game guernseys with the phrase "Drink Drive Bloody Idiot" on the back. I thought it was hilarious. It turns out that one of the team sponsors is the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) which used the phrase as a slogan. I was intrigued enough to keep watching and found the game to be remarkably interesting. Interesting because I didn't know what was going on. So I continued to watch and now understand a good deal (though by no means all) of what goes on. And it's just a great game. A combination of the action of soccer (non-stop) with the scoring of American football (weird), played by tough guys who don't wear pads but crash into each other all the time. I mean all the time. Between having to run for the entire game and the physical strength to take a mark (catch a kicked ball) in a crowd, Footy players are incredible athletes.
By the way, I do own a Richmond Tigers guernsey. Yes, it has the slogan on the back.
Last night I was up much later than I planned to be because I got sucked into the vortex of the Miami - Florida State football game. An all-ACC contest (as much as I have mixed emotions about that) between the 9th ranked and 14th ranked teams respectively. Ay yi yi. What a crapfest. FSU won by the glittering score of 10-7. Scoring doesn't necessarily make the game but not scoring can sure unmake the game. Miami did everything but put the ball in the endzone or through the uprights and the FSU defense made Miami look frickin' silly at times. Not that FSU looked like a top 20 team either. If there is any justice in the world (of college sports - and there's not), both teams would drop in the rankings.
So I wasted about as much of my life as I spent on the hideous last Star Wars movie. It's a habit I must break.
On the other hand, the Footy program featured the final regular season game between the top two teams in Aussie Rules: the West Coast Eagles (the "Weagles" - gotta love that) and the Adelaide Crows. The game was played at Subiaco Oval in Perth, home of the Weagles yet the Crows were able to beat the team that has stood atop the ladder all season to take the top spot at the end. The score was Adelaide 82 (12 goals, 10 behinds) to West Coast 74 (10 goals, 14 behinds) and it was a barn-burner. Both teams had something to prove and it showed. West Coast went through much of the season undeafeated only to stumble at bit late. Given the contest I saw, I have to think the Crows are going to take the Premiership this season.
Sadly, the Collingwood Magpies ended the season ahead of only the Carlton Blues who get this year's wooden spoon for finishing at the bottom of the league. Small comfort is taken in the fact that the thuggish Brisbane Lions also finished in the bottom eight and are not in thre hunt for the Premiership. But the Lions finished the year with 40 points to the Pies 20. Collingwood needs to do some serious rebuilding.
A while back, Paul asked what brought me to watch Footy. I don't think I ever posted on that. So.... It's as simple as a jersey. Or guernsey as they're called in Aussie Rules. I happened upon a game where the Richmond Tigers were wearing game guernseys with the phrase "Drink Drive Bloody Idiot" on the back. I thought it was hilarious. It turns out that one of the team sponsors is the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) which used the phrase as a slogan. I was intrigued enough to keep watching and found the game to be remarkably interesting. Interesting because I didn't know what was going on. So I continued to watch and now understand a good deal (though by no means all) of what goes on. And it's just a great game. A combination of the action of soccer (non-stop) with the scoring of American football (weird), played by tough guys who don't wear pads but crash into each other all the time. I mean all the time. Between having to run for the entire game and the physical strength to take a mark (catch a kicked ball) in a crowd, Footy players are incredible athletes.
By the way, I do own a Richmond Tigers guernsey. Yes, it has the slogan on the back.
Today's Woot
I could not be a bigger proponent of Wi-Fi. Love it. Love it. Love it. Wouldn't want to live without a broadband connection (still DSL much to my co-blogger's consternation) and Wi-Fi to surf all over the house. I like sitting at the kitchen table, firing up the laptop and crusing the b'sphere at my leisure.
So what's the deal with Woot today? A Motorola USB Wi-Fi (802.11g) adapter for $15 and another fin for shipping. It's always a fin for shipping with Woot. If I weren't currently loaded on Wi-Fi connectivity (Airport Extreme card in the iMac, Airport card in the laptop and a Netgear PCI Wi-Fi g card in the PC), I'd jump on this deal with both feet. Though that would surely crush the product, I would have the warm glow of jumping on it with both feet.
You are casting a glance at Woot every day (not just every week day anymore) for the bargains, aren't you?
I could not be a bigger proponent of Wi-Fi. Love it. Love it. Love it. Wouldn't want to live without a broadband connection (still DSL much to my co-blogger's consternation) and Wi-Fi to surf all over the house. I like sitting at the kitchen table, firing up the laptop and crusing the b'sphere at my leisure.
So what's the deal with Woot today? A Motorola USB Wi-Fi (802.11g) adapter for $15 and another fin for shipping. It's always a fin for shipping with Woot. If I weren't currently loaded on Wi-Fi connectivity (Airport Extreme card in the iMac, Airport card in the laptop and a Netgear PCI Wi-Fi g card in the PC), I'd jump on this deal with both feet. Though that would surely crush the product, I would have the warm glow of jumping on it with both feet.
You are casting a glance at Woot every day (not just every week day anymore) for the bargains, aren't you?
Late Delivery
What with holiday excitement (wha -Shut up! Ed!- -Ed.), I didn't post a link to Joe Sherlock's most excellent note about VacMan David Oreck. I don't see permalinks so scroll down to Sunday, September 4 postings. If this seems trivial, let me assure you that it is indeed one of those Things That Matter. Oreck may come across as a Popeil-ish television pitchman for vacuums and air cleaners but he's an engine of commerce. Let me steal directly from the AP report quoted in Joe's blog:
What with holiday excitement (wha -Shut up! Ed!- -Ed.), I didn't post a link to Joe Sherlock's most excellent note about VacMan David Oreck. I don't see permalinks so scroll down to Sunday, September 4 postings. If this seems trivial, let me assure you that it is indeed one of those Things That Matter. Oreck may come across as a Popeil-ish television pitchman for vacuums and air cleaners but he's an engine of commerce. Let me steal directly from the AP report quoted in Joe's blog:
The Oreck vacuum cleaner company expects to reopen its New Orleans-area plant within the ten days as it temporarily relocates its headquarters to Dallas. Family-run Oreck Corporation is a big part of the Gulf Coast business fabric with headquarters on the shores of the Mississippi and a big factory in nearby Long Beach, Mississippi. Its headquarters is expected to be inaccessible for weeks, so the company is setting up a home office for now in Dallas and is trucking in temporary housing for staff. Shelter is also being provided for workers at the company's Long Beach factory, which appears to have escaped major damage. The company has also resumed processing orders after shifting its call center to Denver and determining that most of its inventory was undamaged. Oreck employs about a thousand people.Joe suggests Oreck for President. Pulling my tongue out of my cheek with main force, I won't second that nomination but I am going to suggest the Oreck Eight Pound Vacuum as the Official Vacuum of Pugs of War. And, in point of reality, the next vac I buy is going to be an Oreck. Apparently it really sucks and that's a good thing.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Go. Go Now.
Bill Whittle on Tribes. I will post later along the lines of tribes. But today, read Whittle. This is not a suggestion. It is a necessity. If you do not read Whittle, you are not intellectually serious. Period.
Bill Whittle on Tribes. I will post later along the lines of tribes. But today, read Whittle. This is not a suggestion. It is a necessity. If you do not read Whittle, you are not intellectually serious. Period.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
So Long Verizon and AT+T!
I just did away with Verizon as my local carrier and AT+T as my long distance provider. The elimination of these two was accomplished by the installation of a new cable modem from Time Warner. I now make my calls via VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). It took less than 20 minutes and I'll save about $30 a month on my phone service. Your mileage will vary.
The only downside is that when the power goes out I have no way of making or receiving calls, except via my cell phone. It's a chance I'll take.
I just did away with Verizon as my local carrier and AT+T as my long distance provider. The elimination of these two was accomplished by the installation of a new cable modem from Time Warner. I now make my calls via VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). It took less than 20 minutes and I'll save about $30 a month on my phone service. Your mileage will vary.
The only downside is that when the power goes out I have no way of making or receiving calls, except via my cell phone. It's a chance I'll take.
I Can See You!
Only kidding. Though I did just install Google Earth. If you have the bandwidth and CPU power it is worth a try.
Note: You may also want to upgrade your Video Card on your computer. They suggested a 3D graphics card: 3D-capable video card with 16MB VRAM.
Unfortunately, no Mac version is offered at this time. Shame on them because the Mac has always been known as a machine that can handle graphics. They must have been in a hurry to make it to market as it is an awesome piece of software.
Only kidding. Though I did just install Google Earth. If you have the bandwidth and CPU power it is worth a try.
Note: You may also want to upgrade your Video Card on your computer. They suggested a 3D graphics card: 3D-capable video card with 16MB VRAM.
Unfortunately, no Mac version is offered at this time. Shame on them because the Mac has always been known as a machine that can handle graphics. They must have been in a hurry to make it to market as it is an awesome piece of software.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Not Even Vaguely Hurricane Related
Unless you count that post title of course. But it's the start of the month ("It's the start of the month/One of twelve I don't like..." Emm Gryner "This Mad" complete lyrics here), and I haven't even fired off a random synapse in the direction of my 2 discs of new music for the month. And lucky, lucky me! Emm has a new disc available for pre-order: "The Great Lakes." That check is in the mail today. And for the other... (pondering) ... I think I need to fill out my collection of Carbon Leaf. Perhaps "Ether-Electrified Porch Music." Ha! Done. Gotta love that Amazon "One-Click." Now, I'll just be updating the "longings" section and I'm off to do things in meatspace.
Unless you count that post title of course. But it's the start of the month ("It's the start of the month/One of twelve I don't like..." Emm Gryner "This Mad" complete lyrics here), and I haven't even fired off a random synapse in the direction of my 2 discs of new music for the month. And lucky, lucky me! Emm has a new disc available for pre-order: "The Great Lakes." That check is in the mail today. And for the other... (pondering) ... I think I need to fill out my collection of Carbon Leaf. Perhaps "Ether-Electrified Porch Music." Ha! Done. Gotta love that Amazon "One-Click." Now, I'll just be updating the "longings" section and I'm off to do things in meatspace.
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